Chinese companies plan machinery exhibition

Show will help textile tycoons to adopt new technology.

FAISALABAD: The Pak-China Chamber has planned to arrange a Chinese textile machinery exhibition in Faisalabad in the next couple of months to help Chinese companies market their products in Pakistan.

“Not only that, the fair will enable local textile tycoons to improve the quality of their products by replacing old machinery with state-of-the-art technology and equipment,” said Wang Zihai, President of the Association of Chinese Enterprises in Pakistan.

The exhibition will be held in collaboration with the FCCI at the display centre of the University of Agriculture Faisalabad.

Speaking at the Faisalabad Chamber of Commerce and Industry (FCCI), he appreciated a proposal of businessmen that called for launching joint ventures by utilising existing infrastructure of Pakistani industries.

He expressed interest in arranging match-making meetings between willing and prospective entrepreneurs from China.

Wang stressed that Chinese companies were very comfortable in Pakistan and more were willing to invest if they were provided opportunities to work with genuine and willing partners.

He expressed the desire to work with the FCCI for establishing a research institute in order to provide required information to Pakistani and Chinese investors with sector-specific market intelligence and surveys.

Wang also discussed the setting up of a Chinese training institute to impart training for enhancing productivity of the workforce in addition to teaching them how to work with Chinese engineers and companies. “This centre will also offer a Chinese language course to the workers that regularly interact with Chinese managers and supervisors,” he said.

Speaking on the occasion, Engineer Suhail bin Rashid suggested that Chinese investors willing to expand their business could make equity investment and start production without any delay.

Offering space in the FCCI complex for a proposed Chinese cell, he said this would enable Chinese firms to have direct access to the FCCI’s 4,500 members. They would also be able to utilise the auditorium and board room for holding conferences and meetings within the chamber premises.

Regarding training of workers, Rashid said 14 public sector training institutes were working in Faisalabad that could immediately start training courses to meet the requirement of skilled workforce for Chinese companies. These institutes could also introduce tailor-made programmes for the Chinese companies, he added.

Published in The Express Tribune, May 3^rd, 2014.

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