LAHORE: Chinese Consulate General and All Pakistan Textile Mills Association (APTMA) leadership have resolved to upsurge bilateral trade, take maximum advantage of Free Trade Agreement (FTA) and to explore possibilities of joint ventures in textile industry.
Zhao Shiren Consul General of China, Li Haoteng, Commercial Counsellor and Wang Yaqiang, Vice Consul visited APTMA office on Tuesday and discussed in detail prospects, ways and means to increase volume of trade and joint ventures in textile industry.
Dr Gohar Ejaz, Patron-in-Chief APTMA and Chairman APTMA Kamran Arshad welcomed the Chinese Consul General at APTMA. They were accompanied by Syed Ali Ahsan, former Chairman APTMA, Zonal Management Committee members including Haroon Ellahi, Muhammad Ali, Faisal Jawed, Ahsan Shahid, Ismail Fareed, Habib Anwar, leading textile exporters, Secretary General APTMA Shahid Sattar and Secretary General North Mohammad Raza Baqir.
Speaking on the occasion, Zhao Shiren said both China and Pakistan enjoy strong economic and cultural relations and China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) is an example of this robust relationship between both the countries. He highly appreciated the role of APTMA in general and of Dr Gohar Ejaz in particular in expansion of bilateral economic relations.
He enumerated highly plausible services rendered by Dr Gohar Ejaz in cementing relation between China and Pakistan not only as Commerce Minister but also in his private capacity.
He also spoke volume about community and welfare services being performed by Gohar Ejaz Foundation for poverty alleviation, medical services, educational and research uplift and industrialization of the country.
Consul General highlighted expansion of bilateral trade since the signing of China-Pakistan Free Trade Agreement (FTA) in 2006 and resolved to further uplift the said volume by taking maximum benefits from FTA.
He noted that balance of trade is presently in favour of China and assured of his help to not only expand trade volume but also to bridge the gap in balance of trade.
He informed that textile goods falling in more than 800 HS tariff lines of customs chapters 50 to 63 enjoy duty free status under FTA on import into China from Pakistan. He emphasised Pakistani textile industry to avail duty free regime widely liberalized for Pakistani textile products since implementation of Phase II of FTA in 2020.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2025
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