Pakistan and China have set a target of bilateral trade of $15 billion by 2012 and the private sector will try its utmost to achieve the same. This was stated by Vice President of Saarc Chamber of Commerce and Industry (SCCI) Pakistan Chapter, Iftikhar Ali Malik while addressing a seminar on Pak-China Economic relation here at Pak-China Friendship Centre on Sunday.
He said that the business community of Pakistan is a great admirer of the visionary leadership and hard work of the people of China who have turned their country into the second largest economy and the largest exporting nation of the world within one decade. "We foresee a bigger role of China as a world leader on politico-economic horizons," he said.
He said that the present leadership of Pakistan attaches great importance to the country's decades-old time-tested and all-weather friendship with China. "Since assuming the office in September 2008, President Asif Ali Zardari has visited China six times and the visit of Prime Minister of China last December is the reflection of reciprocity, goodwill, mutual recognition and sincerity on which the building of Pak-China relations has been erected," he remarked.
Malik observed that the signing of Free Trade Agreement between China and Pakistan and launching strategic five-year economic plan in 2006 have given momentum to the bilateral trade, which increased from three billion dollars in 2005 to seven billion dollars in 2009-10.