Twin trade: Sindh seeks Chinese help in developing Keti Bandar port

PPP delegation in China to explore investment opportunities


Irfan Ghauri September 08, 2016

WUHAN/ CHINA: Authorities in the central Chinese province, Hubei, on Tuesday offered to cooperate with the Sindh government in developing different energy and infrastructure projects.

“We can extend cooperation in energy, construction, shipping and many other areas,” a member of the standing committee of CPC said during talks with a PPP delegation led by Senator Sherry Rehman in the provincial capital.

Hubei is one of the industrial hubs in China where different industries including manufacturers of heavy machinery are located. Companies based in the province have specialty in road infrastructure and hydel power plants development.

Led by Shaoliang, who is a member of the Standing Committee of CPC Hubei Committee, and the Minister of Organisation, the Chinese side was represented by Wang Yaping, secretary-general of CPC Hubei, and Yan Pulin, director-general of the Hubei Provincial Foreign Affairs Office.

Shaoliang offered Chinese assistance to the Sindh government in different energy and road infrastructure projects. Companies based in the province are already developing Gwadar seaport in Balochistan.

The two provinces can cooperate in technical training and higher education, development of optic fibre, he added.

Senator Sherry Rehman, who is heading the PPP delegation, said, besides energy and infrastructure development, the Sindh government was also keen to develop Keti Bandar seaport and the Chinese cooperation can be helpful in this regard.

Earlier, the PPP leaders held a meeting with Hubei Provincial Development and Reforms Commission. During the meeting, Rehman proposed declaring the Hubei’s capital city Wuhan as twin city of Karachi.

Rehman is leading a thirteen-member delegation of the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) having representation from all four provinces and G-B for a week-long visit to China on the invitation of the CPC.

During its meeting with the PPP delegation, the Hubei Development and Reforms Commission was represented by Deputy director-general Liu Qi Gang, divisional ministers for Foreign and Economic Trade, Transportation and other high government officials.

The two sides also discussed economic reforms, industrial growth as well as a host of other development-related initiatives. Wuhan, where the meeting took place, is popularly known as the ‘Chicago of China’ owing to its multi-billion trade economy.

In her opening remarks, Rehman commented on similarities between industrial cities in Pakistan and China, particularly those where river economies were challenged by rapid climate degradation as well as industrial misuse.

She asked Chinese officials to share perspectives and lessons from Wuhan’s green industrial policies. Sindh Transport and Mass Transit Minister Syed Nasir Hussain Shah requested Chinese expertise in urban mass transit that may help in establishing similar transit management models for Karachi and other large cities in Sindh.

Other recommendations floated during the meeting included the establishment of a foundation that will select and finance small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) that will be managed by experts, and technology sharing between the two countries.

Rehman suggested that China should look into microfinance ventures in Pakistan, which offers a very effective regulatory framework compared to other countries. The PPP delegation is scheduled to leave for Beijing on Wednesday to meet with think-tanks and central leadership of the CPC. 

Published in The Express Tribune, September 8th, 2016.

COMMENTS

Replying to X

Comments are moderated and generally will be posted if they are on-topic and not abusive.

For more information, please see our Comments FAQ