Chinese envoy calls for enhancing Yiwu-Karachi economic ties

Trade representatives of the two sides reiterate to deepen policy communication, strengthen exchanges and cooperation

Li Bijian, Consul General of China in Karachi, said that there are close economic ties and huge development potential between Chinese city of Yiwu and Karachi.

He made these remarks while addressing Yiwu-Karachi Workshop titled “Building the China-Pakistan Trade Corridor by Concerted Efforts of Governments and Business Sectors”, which was held via video link.

The event was jointly organised by Yiwu Municipal People’s Government and the Trade Development Authority of Pakistan (TDAP), and co-hosted by Foreign Affairs Office of Yiwu Municipal People’s Government and Yiwu Bureau of Commerce.

The Chinese official hoped for further enhancing mutual trade exchanges, promote trade balance, improve trade quality, and introduce more high-quality Pakistani products to enter China through Yiwu market.

Bilateral investment needs to be increased, and Chinese enterprises are welcome to make the best use of Pakistan's favourable policies to invest in Pakistan and create more employment opportunities for the younger generation of Pakistan, he stressed and also proposed that the trade representatives of the two sides would deepen policy communication, strengthen exchanges and cooperation and jointly cope with the challenges in post-Covid era.

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Hussain Haider, Consul General of Pakistan in Shanghai, said Yiwu-Karachi Workshop is a manifestation of the commitment of the two countries, particularly the two cities, to shore up their bilateral trade and investment relations. He was confident that the Karachi-based businesses would enter into mutually beneficial cooperative relations with their Yiwu counterparts to give a further momentum to the bilateral economic relations.

He also assured that Pakistan’s Consulate General in Shanghai would give full support and facilitation to these endeavours.

Li Bijian, Consul General of China in Karachi, Ye Bangrui, Mayor of Yiwu City, Wang Wei, Deputy Mayor of Yiwu City, Arif Ahmed Khan, Chief Executive of TDAP, Hussain Haider, Consul General of Pakistan in Shanghai, Irfan Iqbal, President of the Federation of Pakistan Chambers of Commerce & Industry (FPCCI) and others attended the event online.

Ye Bangrui, Mayor of Yiwu City, gave a brief introduction of the social and economic development of Yiwu. He said Pakistan is an important trading partner of Yiwu. In 2021, the trade volume between Yiwu and Pakistan reached nearly 600 million US dollars. The imports from Pakistan to Yiwu have tripled. He also mentioned that Karachi is Pakistan's economic centre, important port and largest city.

Yiwu said he was looking forward to further enhancing exchanges and cooperation with Pakistan, especially with Karachi, to strengthen cooperation in export and import, e-commerce, exhibition and deepening cultural exchanges so as to achieve win-win development and contribute to the development of China-Pakistan economic and trade relations.