‘Scope for Chinese investment in several sectors’

Hamza thanked the Chinese govt for helping with the energy crisis.

LAHORE:

“There is a need to promote Pak-China economic and strategic cooperation in light of the changing world situation”, said MNA Hamza Shahbaz Sharif on Wednesday. Sharif was addressing a Chinese delegation led by Ai Ping, the vice minister of the Communist Party of People’s Republic of China.

Sharif said setting up the Pak-China economic corridor was important for peace and economic progress in the region. He said there was room for Chinese investment in energy, infrastructure and transport.

He said the chief minister was working on a garments city, a solar park, coal power generation and other projects that held vast opportunities for Chinese investment. He thanked the Chinese government for its cooperation in resolving the energy crisis.

Sharif said as the European Union had granted GSP Plus status to Pakistan, the Chinese government could help increase national production by giving Pakistani workers technical training.

Ping commended the efforts of the chief minister and his team for the rapid progress made in all sectors in the Punjab.

Earlier, Labour Minister Raja Ashfaq Sarwar had welcomed Ping and his delegation at the airport. The Chinese delegation was briefed on the skills sector and the metro bus system at Arfa Karim Tower. The delegation also travelled by metro bus from Ittefaq station to MAO College.

Additional Chief Secretary, the Lahore Commissioner and Secretaries Forests, Transport and Industry Departments were also present.

Published in The Express Tribune, February 20^th, 2014.