Steel and hydropower sectors: Prime Minister seeks Chinese investment

Prime Minister Syed Yousuf Raza Gilani on Sunday invited the investment by Chinese financial sector in Pakistan in fields of steel, hydropower and thermal energy. In a meeting with Chairman of China International Capital Corporation (CICC), Li Jiange, the Prime Minister said Pakistan welcomed Chinese investment in its mega projects like hydropower dams and infrastructure projects.
Gilani noted with satisfaction that the two countries had already developed sound platforms such as Pakistan-China Free Trade Agreement on goods, services and investment, which he hoped would underpin intense economic engagement in future.
He said CICC could play a critical role in encouraging and organising the Chinese companies to invest in Pakistan which, he added, would strengthen the existing brotherly relations.
Gilani noted that the Governments of Pakistan and China had taken a number of initiatives to promote co-operation in the economic sector, and stressed for further co-operation in this sector.
The CICC Chairman appreciated Prime Minister Gilani's vision for the future of the two countries' economies.
He said the Chinese business and enterprises were extremely interested in exploring investment opportunities in Pakistan.
He apprised the Prime Minister about CICC's past engagements with Pakistan and said the organisation was reaching out to the Chinese banking sector to urge them to invest in Pakistan, particularly in energy, steel and cement sectors.