CPEC offers great opportunities for trade and investment: Indonesian envoy

Islamabad: Indonesian Ambassador to Pakistan Ambassador Adam M. Tugio has said that China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) project offered great opportunities for trade and investment as it could potentially develop Pakistan for the ASEAN member countries to make Pakistan as an economic hub for the Central Asia, Middle East and the Western China.

Speaking at an ‘Appreciation Night’ to pay tributes to the business community and friends of Indonesia and ASEAN here, the envoy shared several strategies to strengthen cooperation with ASEAN countries, including trade and investment cooperation.

The event was held to recognise business community’s contribution and collaboration with the Indonesian Embassy in enhancing bilateral cooperation, especially in the domain of trade and investment.

Ambassador Tugio noted that like other countries, Indonesia also has an interest in exploring potential cooperation within the framework of CPEC through strengthening trade cooperation at the bilateral level along with ASEAN member countries through engagements with the stakeholders and business actors including the Pakistan Chamber of Commerce and Industry.

The Ambassador expressed his sincere gratitude and appreciation to the distinguished guests for their contribution and role in improving investment and trade relations between Indonesia-Pakistan and ASEAN-Pakistan.

He observed with great pleasure that amid COVID-19 driven global economic recession the economic and trade relations between Indonesia and Pakistan have continued to show a positive trend.

The Ambassador said that the development of a beneficial and comprehensive ASEAN-Pakistan cooperation has special importance considering the emergence of geo-economic and geo-strategic regional alliances.

ASEAN countries, he continued, wanted a partnership with Pakistan through joint ventures and increased interaction in the fields of scientific research, education, information technology and agriculture in order to strengthen ASEAN-Pakistan cooperation in the future.

Pakistani Federal Secretary of Commerce Muhamad Sualeh A. Farauqui was the chief guest on the occasion. Heads of ASEAN Missions in Islamabad, Diplomats, President Islamabad Chamber of Commerce and Industry (ICCI), Muhammad Shakeel Munir, President Rawalpindi Chamber of Commerce and Industry (RCCI), Nadeem A. Rauf and President of Pakistan- ASEAN Business Forum, Zafar Bahtawari and the business community and “friends of Indonesia” attended the reception in high number.