US diplomat visits PCJCCI, discusses ties with Pakistan, China

LAHORE: Shahid Ahmed Khan, Advisor to the United States president has invited a delegation of China and Pakistan to visit America to see the potential for business ideas and investment opportunities, and assured that his embassy would provide them with all possible support and cooperation.

He expressed these views during his visit to the Pakistan-China Joint Chamber of Commerce and Industry (PCJCCI) here on Wednesday to discuss trilateral relations between America, Pakistan and China. The meeting was attended by the executive committee members of PCJCCI and many top business leaders from both Pakistan and China.

The Advisor further said that America has been Pakistan’s largest export market, importing more than US 5 billion dollars in Pakistani goods in 2021, far surpassing any other country.

“Moreover, the US has also been a leading investor in Pakistan for the past 20 years; in the most recent fiscal year, the US direct investment in Pakistan increased by 50 percent, which was now the highest in over a decade. Major US investments concentrated in consumer goods, chemicals, energy, agriculture, outsourcing business, transportation, and communications,” he added.

On this occasion, PCJCCI President Moazzam Ghurki said that America and China were superpowers that could complement Pakistan’s economy in many fields; thus, both countries should help in enhancing trade and economic ties with Pakistan to achieve mutually beneficial outcomes.

Ali Raza Rizvi, Chairman Standing Committee on Diplomatic and Government Relations and Gwadar Tourism Promotion and CPEC Projects at PCJCCI, said that Pakistan’s business climate has areas that need to be strengthened, including regulation, intellectual property protection and taxation. He added that the US and China should help Pakistan achieve business climate enhancements and also help in promoting business linkages between the private sectors of both countries.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2023