LAHORE - The China is all set for new investment proposals, as its Qinghai province has announced to launch a Business Development Centre in provincial capital in an effort to take trade relations to a new height by aggressively exploring opportunities for joint ventures in various sectors.
This was observed by World Handmade Carpet Organization (WHCO) Chairman Akhtar Nazir Khan Cooki, in a statement issued here on Thursday.
He said that the Director General of Nanchuan Industrial Park in Xining city of Qinghai province, Huang Guojun, is going to launch Nanchuan Industrial Park Business Development Centre in Lahore on Oct 7 (Sunday) at Raiwind Road, near Safari Park. Punjab Governor Sardar Latif Khosa will be chief guest, he added.
The WHCO Chairman Akhtar Nazir Cooki, has been appointed the honorary commercial consul of Nanchuan Industrial Park, besides leading all commercial projects of it through Business Development Centre in Lahore.
With a view to exploring more investment opportunities in two neighbouring countries, the Board of Investment in Pakistan has also appointed him as honorary commercial consul of Pakistan to China to seek investment from Chinese entrepreneurs, besides exploring new markets for Pakistani products abroad, statement said.
Cooki, in his statement, said that the Business Development Centre is being set up to connect thousands of Pakistani entrepreneurs with leading Chinese entrepreneurs and investors to exchange experiences and discuss business trends, leading to ultimate investment in both countries. Business Development Centre will host events along with Pakistani entrepreneurship associations including the PCMEA.
He said that a nine-member delegation headed by Huang Guojun, presently on Pakistan visit, will meet Board of Investment chairman Mandviwala in Islamabad on Oct 5. The team will visit Pakistan grand annual expo being held in Karachi on Oct 6. And the next day they will travel to Lahore to attend PCMEA Carpet Exhibition being held from Sunday to Tuesday.
A promotional meeting regarding the Nanchuan Industrial Park Business Development Centre will be held on Oct 8 (Monday), at 3pm at a local hotel and will be graced by Board of Investment Secretary Anjum Bashir as a chief guest.
Business promotional seminar will largely attended by all major industries representatives and top businessmen including Tariq Shafee from Leather Industry, Tariq Sehgal from Cement and Textile sector, Agha Saidden from Pakistan Tanners Association, Pervaiz Malik and Iftikhar Ali Malik, besides participation of leadership of PCMEA, FPCCI, and LCCI.
Cooki said that he accepted the honorary consulship on the condition that Chinese businessmen will also invest in Pakistan if they are seeking investment from Pakistan for China. He said that Chinese investors are interested to invest in mining, marble, energy, chemical and other potential economic sectors of Pakistan. He said that business-friendly environment is the pre-requisite to attract the foreign and local investment.
He said that instead of looking towards United States and European Union we should focus on China for trade and investment. He said that Commerce Ministry and TDAP have also realised the importance of this point.
He said, presently China is the largest carpet buyer of Pakistan, as over 900,000 feet record size of handmade carpet was sold in a single Pakistani exhibition in China. We are struggling for the enhancement of Pakistani carpet export to China from 2004, he maintained.
In the statement, Yonghua Chen, director of Economic Development of Nanchuan Industrial Park, observed that the investment centre is the latest example of Chinese efforts to increase links among Pakistani entrepreneurs, the Pakistani-Chinese diaspora community, and Chinese entrepreneurs and business people. Connections like these are important because entrepreneurs unlock growth.
Ms Chen Yali, vice secretary general of China Tibetan Carpet Association, observed that business centre aimed at organising events throughout the country to build skills of entrepreneurs and seek investment and exchange technologies.