New era of Pakistan-China cooperation taking place: PM

Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif has said a new era of Pakistan-China cooperation in the Information Technology, communication, mining, and energy sectors is taking place.

He was chairing a review meeting in Islamabad on Saturday regarding the implementation of agreements and MOUs reached during his recent visit to China.

Shehbaz Sharif said the promotion of Pakistan-China cooperation in these fields will lead to economic development, strengthening of regional ties, and deepening of the relations between the two countries.

He said that no disruption will be tolerated in the implementation of agreements and memorandums of understanding signed during his visit to China.

He announced to personally monitor the implementation of these agreements and MoUs.

The Prime Minister was also briefed that a delegation of shoemaking companies of China has recently visited Pakistan to shift their manufacturing units to Pakistan.

It was apprised that the Chinese companies have the potential to invest five to eight billion dollars in this sector of Pakistan.

Regarding the agriculture sector, the Prime Minister was apprised that 12 leading companies of China will participate in the Food and Agri Expo to be held in Pakistan this year.

The Prime Minister also reviewed the progress regarding sending 1000 students from Pakistan to China on government scholarships for advanced training in the agriculture sector.

He directed that students from all four provinces including Gilgit-Baltistan and Azad Kashmir should be sent to China on the basis of merit, while students from backward areas of Balochistan should be given special priority in the program.

Shehbaz Sharif instructed to start sending students for modern agricultural training in China from the next academic semester.

Besides, the meeting was told that as a result of the agreements reached during the Prime Minister’s visit to China, over 100 Chinese companies are in contact with Pakistani companies for business and investment in Pakistan.

The meeting was also briefed about the progress on the technical training of 300,000 students by Huawei, a one-stop operation to facilitate business and Smart Governance and Smart City.

The Prime Minister was also apprised of the progress made by China on various communication, infrastructure, and electricity projects in Gwadar.

Shehbaz Sharif advised expediting measures for the development of Gwadar Seaport, Gwadar Airport, and Gwadar Industrial Zone to make Gwadar the hub of trade corridor in the region.

He also instructed to speed up the negotiations with Chinese solar panels and equipment manufacturing companies to move their factories to Pakistan.