Envoy proposes direct flights between Lahore and Chengdu

Says Chinese city with scores of innovative companies offers many opportunities.

LAHORE: Pakistan's businessmen could explore a lot of opportunities in Chengdu, the capital of China's Sichuan province, as a majority of Fortune 500 Innovative companies are located in the city, clearly reflecting its economic importance, said a diplomat based in the city.

While outlining the industrial importance of Chengdu, Consul General of Pakistan Mudassir Tipu revealed that one of the fastest railway tracks for cargo had been recently built in China that started from Chengdu and extended to Europe, making it the shortest possible and cost-effective route for cargo transportation.



The same route could be used for Pakistan's cargo destined for Europe through Xinjiang province, he suggested.

He was speaking during a meeting with Pak-China Joint Chamber of Commerce and Industry (PCJCCI) President SM Naveed at the chamber premises on Thursday. A number of PCJCCI's executive committee members were also present.

The consul general called on the authorities concerned to initiate direct flights between Lahore and Chengdu as the flight duration would be four hours only and it could prove instrumental in promoting cost-effective and speedy bilateral trade.

He invited all PCJCCI members to visit Chengdu for equipping themselves with updated knowledge about technology parks in the city that had highly modernised and digitalised infrastructure.

Amazing technologies were being developed in the technology parks that were supporting trillions of dollars worth of Chinese economy, he said.

The consul general underlined the emerging need of research and development (R&D) work in those economic sectors of Pakistan that had promising potential.



He suggested that R&D work and feasibility studies should be at hand so that these could be shared with Chinese investors.

He cited tourism, hospitality, education, dental surgery equipment, information technology and machinery manufacturing as sectors that had a vast potential for success in Chengdu.

He assured businessmen of maximum possible facilitation to the delegations sent by the PCJCCI. "I will do business matchmaking of Pakistani investors with the Chinese in Chengdu," he said.

Published in The Express Tribune, December 29^th, 2017.

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