Pakistan, China agree to improve experience of existing investors

ISLAMABAD: Chinese Ambassador Nong Rong called on the Minister of State and Chairman Board of Investment (BoI), Muhammad Azfar Ahsan, here on Friday. Both sides agreed to ameliorate the experience of the existing investors, while reaching out globally for marketing Pakistan as an attractive investment destination.

The endeavours taken together will be pivotal for advancing the second phase of the CPEC that is “Industrial Cooperation”. Both sides agreed that for achieving the above goal, it is essential to conduct business-to-business events and establish forums enabling the matchmaking of foreign and local businesses, their facilitation and the showcasing of investment opportunities in Pakistan.

For this, both sides discussed the launch of the Pak-China Businesses and Investment Forum (PCBIF), the latter, under the patronage of the BoI, the Chinese embassy and the APCEA will comprise prominent Pakistani and Chinese enterprises. The said forum will enhance exchanges and communication among the businesses of the two countries; thereby, opening up the avenues of cooperation.

Furthermore, both sides also deliberated on the CPEC Industrial Cooperation Business-to-Business (B2B) Investment Conference, which the BoI is organising in Lahore in December 2021. The ambassador extended his full support for the conference, as it may serve as a bridge between the private and public sector stakeholders of both countries.

The chairman expressed his full support for the Chinese investment in Pakistan. “Now is the time to focus on enhancing the Global Outreach of Pakistan, where the first step would be about fostering communication with the potential and existing investors and the second step would consist of following up with them for ensuring quality investment flows to Pakistan,” said the chairman BoI.

The ambassador congratulated the chairman BoI on his appointment and both sides exchanged views on Chinese investment and industrial cooperation in Pakistan. The Secretary BoI, Fareena Mazhar, and the Project Director CPEC-IC BoI, Asim Ayub, also attended the meeting.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2021