Pakistan-China Business Forum inaugurated in Kunming

Tariq Sayeed, Vice President Confederation of Asia Pacific Chambers of Commerce & Industry (CACCI) inaugurated Pakistan-China Business Forum at Kunming city of Yunnan Province, China.
The Forum was organized by Trade Development Authority of Pakistan with assistance of Consulate General of Pakistan in China, which aimed at further promoting economic ties between two friendly nations.
In his inaugural speech Sayeed identified enormous areas of mutual cooperation and particularly emphasized upon the Government and the Private Sector of China to consider investment in Pakistan through joint ventures. He reiterated the need for relocation of Chinese industries to Pakistan while arguing that it would help create job opportunities and enable these units to create surplus for re-exporting to China as a remedy to bridge chronic trade deficit of Pakistan in trade with China.
He termed the B-2-B Meetings as a proactive initiative of TDAP and hoped that it would help forging new business alliances between Pakistani and Chinese enterprises. He added that such initiatives would help achieve bilateral trade target of $ 12 billion by end of 2012.
The Director General, Ministry of Commerce, Government of Yunnan while addressing the Forum said that the Government of Yunnan had undertaken strategic planning for South Asian countries particularly for Pakistan, which has been the oldest friend of Pakistan. He said that South Asian Commodities Trade Fair has been successful in promoting South Asian products in China and thus help reduce trade deficit faced by the respective countries. He added that, China was the 2nd largest
import nation of the World and the neighboring South Asian countries particularly Pakistan should take fullest advantage to make niche in the Chinese market.
Tariq Puri, CEO Trade Development Authority of Pakistan in his keynote speech highlighted the trade potential of Pakistan and invited Chinese enterprises to invest in the areas of energy, infrastructural development, agro-processing, Science & Technology. He said that the political relations between China and Pakistan are time-tested but they should also be reflected in terms of size of bilateral trade.
The session moderated by Wang Jianwei, Deputy Director General, for Ministry of Commerce of China was also addressed Syed Hasan Habib Consul General of Pakistan in Chengdu. The prominent business figures like Mr. S. M. Muneer, President India Pak CCI & Former President, FPCCI, Mr. Dawood Usman Jakhura, Vice President, FPCCI, Muhammad Amin Khatri, Former EC Member, Mr. Waseem Vohra, EC Member, FPCCI, Mr. Siddique Sheikh, Chairman, CSR Committee, Mr. Mehtabuddin Chawla-EC Member-FPCCI, Ms. Earlier Pakistan delegation participated in 6th China South Business Forum comprising notable figures like Mr. S. M. Muneer, Former President, FPCCI, Mr. Dawood Usman Jakhura, Vice
President, FPCCI, Muhammad Amin Khatri, Former EC Member, Mr. Waseem Vohra, EC Member, FPCCI, Mr. Siddique Sheikh, Chairman, CSR Committee, Mr. Mehtabuddin Chawla-EC Member-FPCCI, Mr.Hamayun Laiq, Vice Chairman of Federation Fairs & Exhibition Committee, Ms. Shireen Arshad Khan, MNA & SCWEC Member, Hina Mansab Khan, Member, SCWEC attended the Forum.
The representatives of over 75 Chinese enterprises participated in the Forum while more than 50 Pakistani and Chinese enterprises attended B-2-B meetings.