ISLAMABAD: In a bid to deepen economic ties with Beijing, Pakistan is targeting up to $5 billion in new investment at the forthcoming Pakistan-China B2B Investment Conference, scheduled for 4th September in Beijing, coinciding with the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Summit 2025.
The conference underscores Islamabad’s renewed drive to attract Chinese capital beyond traditional government channels, focusing on business-to-business partnerships to unlock opportunities across key sectors.
In an exclusive interview with Business Recorder on Monday, Pakistan’s Ambassador to China, Khalil Hashmi, said Islamabad is focused on tangible outcomes rather than symbolic gestures. “We’re not just counting handshakes – we’re counting deals,” he said. “Conservatively, we expect around 70 to 75 memoranda of understanding (MoUs) and up to 40 joint ventures. But if momentum holds, investment volumes could surpass $5 billion, with over 100 MoUs on the table.”
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With cautious optimism, he added, “In a liberal estimate, the investment volume could well exceed $5 billion, with over 100 MoUs in play.”
He noted that the embassy has become a key facilitator of business-to-business (B2B) engagement, working alongside traditional government-to-government (G2G) channels, both considered equally important. His comments underscored the potential significance of the event as one of Pakistan’s most impactful investment diplomacy efforts in recent years.
The Pakistan Embassy in Beijing, backed by the Special Investment Facilitation Council (SIFC) and the federal government, is spearheading a fresh wave of economic diplomacy. The high-stakes forum aims to catalyse business deals across key sectors, reaffirming Islamabad’s strategic economic outreach.
Hashmi emphasised that this “strategic economic engineering” is producing tangible results. More than $1.2 billion worth of MoUs and contracts were signed last year alone, with over 20 per cent already realised. “This is not about ceremonial signings – it’s about concrete business outcomes,” he added.
The second Pakistan-China B2B Investment Conference is set to spotlight sectors with strong export potential, including textiles, leather, agriculture, fisheries, plastics, and ICT.
Embassy-led efforts have already produced 850 B2B meetings, resulting in 45 MoUs valued at $600 million. Additionally, 60 MoUs are currently in advanced stages of negotiation.
Investor facilitation measures have also been ramped up. Exclusive lounges for Chinese investors at major airports, one-window business facilitation centres in provincial capitals, and streamlined visa regimes are among the steps implemented. “We’ve adopted the Shenzhen model to make Pakistan investor-friendly,” he explained.
Cultural and people-to-people diplomacy is also being integrated into the strategy. From mango festivals in Beijing to fashion showcases in Shanghai, Pakistan is using soft power to complement its trade outreach. Vocational training partnerships with Chinese institutions are also being developed to address Pakistan’s skills gap.
On security perceptions, the ambassador said, “Perception lies in the eyes of the beholder. The fact that 200 Chinese companies visited Pakistan this year alone speaks to the confidence we’ve built.”
Looking ahead, Hashmi said the September conference could prove a watershed moment. With conservative estimates already significant and more ambitious projections on the horizon, Pakistan is positioning itself as a serious contender for Chinese investment flows. “We are not just hosting conferences,” he concluded, “We’re building bridges.”
Copyright Business Recorder, 2025
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