Chinese firms help cut cellphone imports

Also aid Pakistan in starting export of locally produced phones

ISLAMABAD:

Chinese mobile phone manufacturing companies have played a crucial role in helping Pakistan bypass import of mobile phones in 2021.

For the first time in history, the production of mobile phones by local manufacturing plants of Pakistan surpassed their imports in 2021.

According to the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA), the production of mobile phones by local manufacturing plants during January-November 2021 came in at 22.12 million units while their imports remained limited to 9.95 million units.

In 2020, the number of locally manufactured mobile phones was 13.05 million against hefty imports of 24.51 million units.

During January-November 2021, the local manufacturing plants assembled 9.03 million smartphones while the number of 2G mobile phones was 13.09 million.

As compared to 2020, the comparison to 2G sets has increased in 2021. In 2020, the number of locally manufactured 2G phones remained at 10.98 million against 2.06 million smartphones.

Similarly in 2019, the number of locally assembled smartphones was 0.12 million and 11.62 million 2G phones were produced.

According to PTA’s data, the current number of 2G mobile devices on Pakistani network is 48 million while smartphone users amount to 52 million.

In August 2021, “Made in Pakistan” 4G smartphones were exported for the first time to the Middle East. It was the beginning of the export of locally produced mobile phone devices.

In November 2021, Xiaomi, a Chinese mobile giant, announced a partnership with Airlink Communication to begin manufacturing of smartphones in Pakistan.

The company will start production in the first quarter of 2022 and will produce 2.5 to 3 million handsets per year.

According to experts, more than 90% of cellphones sold in the country in 2022 will be “Made in Pakistan” and the nation will soon become one of the major exporters of cellphones.

THE ARTICLE ORIGINALLY APPEARED ON THE CHINA ECONOMIC NET

Published in The Express Tribune, January 4^th, 2022.

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