Commerce minister holds meetings with Chinese businessmen, exporters

ISLAMABAD: Minister of Commerce Dr Gohar Ejaz, who is leading a 20-member delegation to China, on Monday held meetings with Chinese businessmen and exporters to boost trade and remove trade imbalances.

The minister met Chairman of the China Chamber of Commerce for Import and Export of Textiles (CCCT) Zhang Xinmin, and President of the COFCO Group Luan Richeng – a key player in China’s food processing sector, a Commerce Ministry press release said.

“The meetings denote the pivotal part of Pakistan’s strategy to augment non-textile exports, leveraging the strength of COFCO Group’s position as China’s largest food processor, manufacturer, and trader,” it added.

The delegation already held series of Business-to-Business (B2B) meetings, providing a platform for Pakistani and Chinese businessmen to engage in discussions that would fortify trade relations between the two nations, the press release said. Gohar Ejaz, in the meetings, underscored the importance of private sector collaboration, particularly Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs), which could bring prosperity in Pakistan.

“This visit comes after the successful trip of Prime Minister Anwaar-ul-Haq Kakar to China in October, highlighting the commitment to further enhance the economic ties between Pakistan and China,” the press release said.