In a bid to promote business alliances and sectoral matchmaking between
private enterprises of the textile sector of Pakistan & China, the Prime
Minister’s Office, Board of Investment, Pakistan, organized a “CPEC
Industrial Cooperation Textile Business to Business (B2B) Webinar” in
collaboration with China Council for International Investment Promotion
(CCIIP) and China National Textile & Apparel Council (CNTAC) on
Tuesday, 27th April 2021. The webinar offered a platform for analysis of
industry trends, bilateral investment opportunities & potential
collaborations between companies of the two countries.
Secretary BOI, Ms Fareena Mazhar, Executive Director General BOI, Mr.
Khashih ur Rehman, Project Director CPEC Industrial Cooperation of BOI,
Mr. Asim Ayub, Deputy President, CNTAC, Mr. Xu Yingxin, Author of
Textile Industrial Diagnosis Report, Dr. Du Zhen Li, Deputy Director
General of Asian Department of the Ministry of Commerce of China, Mr.
Wei Yan, Deputy GM, ICBC (Karachi Branch), Mr. Zhang Hongpeng,
Director, China Road & Bridge Corporation (CRBC), Ms. Wang Lu,
Chairman, FIEDMC, Mian Kashif Ashfaq, Director General (Textile Wing),
Textile Industry Division, Pakistan, Mr. Kanwar Usman, Secretary General,
All Pakistan Textile Mills Association (APTMA), Mr. Shahid Sattar
participated in the webinar.
The opening remarks were delivered by Executive Director General BOI,
Mr. Khashih ur Rehman. He stated that the webinar marks actualization of
the MOU signed in 2008 between BOI & CCIIP and it will be integral in
advancing B2B & P2P ties under CPEC Industrial Cooperation. In this
context he informed the participants that to facilitate business to business
(B2B) matchmaking, BOI is also working on the development of an Online
B2B portal which will assist potential domestic and foreign investors and
serve as a one-stop database of available public and private sector
investment projects.
Secretary BOI, Ms. Fareena Mazhar welcomed the participants and stated
that the webinar aims to rejuvenate the process of enhanced B2B
matchmaking between Pakistani and Chinese enterprises. She appreciated
the overwhelming support of China National Textile and Apparel Council
(CNTAC) and the Ministry of Commerce of the People’s Republic of China. Owing to the sector’s financial gains many international companies
including Chinese enterprises are already operational in the country. She
shared that “Challenge Apparel” a Chinese company has been successfully
operating in Pakistan for years and now plans to expand with an additional
investment of over USD 150 million.
She apprised the audience about Pakistan’s advantageous investment
policies pertaining to SEZs, EV, Mobile device manufacturing policy and
emphasized on Pakistan’s commitment to facilitate B2B matchmaking. Ms.
Mazhar underscored that CPEC Industrial Cooperation follows an allinclusive policy and is open for third party participation. The inclusion of
Trade & Investment Officers in the webinar was to apprise them about
investment opportunities under CPEC so the same could be communicated
to investors in their respective countries. She concluded by welcoming
export oriented hi tech Chinese enterprises to invest in Pakistan.
Project Director PMU & Moderator for the event, Asim Ayub stated that the
webinar mark’s the initiation of an unprecedented partnership involving the
BOI, CIECC, CNTAC, CCIIP and the Ministry of Commerce China. He
informed the audience that the Textile Diagnostic Study conducted by
CIECC on Pakistan’s Textile Sector in 2019 was very well received by the
Pakistani side, however there exists a need for a follow up action plan to
reap more pragmatic and mutually beneficial outcome. The same point was
taken up in the 5th Joint Working Group (JWG) meeting on Industrial
Cooperation under CPEC held in December 2020.
Mr. Asim Ayub further stated that the webinar was first of a series of
webinars which would be held on mutually agreed priority sectors between
Pakistan and China to keep steering the initiative of industrial cooperation
under CPEC. He informed the participants about the inception of CPEC &
the magnitude of its growth and possibilities. He stated that B2B joint
ventures are intrinsic to the success of CPEC & SEZs & BOI will extend full
support to Chinese investors for successful materialization of their projects
in Pakistan.
Wei Yan, Deputy DG of Asian Department PRC highlighted that Pakistan
and China share a strong and historic relationship at many levels & CPEC
as the flagship project of Belt & Road Initiative will elevate the economic
relation between the two countries. He also briefed about the status of
various projects under CPEC umbrella.
Ms. Yao Wenping, Executive VP CCIIP also reiterated CCIIP’s commitment
to promote industrial progress that will resultantly bolster economic growth
via employment & investment opportunities. She expressed satisfaction
with the progress of multiple ongoing projects in Pakistan.
“ICBC will provide financial advisory services, MNA & financing for
competitive expansion” stated Zhang Hongpeng, Deputy DG ICBC.
Author of Textile Industrial Diagnosis Report, Dr. Du Zhen Li, delivered a
detailed presentation on the textile sector of Pakistan wherein in he
conducted a SWOT analysis of the textile sector and shared that with the
amilioration of the Covid-19 situation, a joint team of Pakistani and Chinese
Experts will be formulated to undertake matchmaking of textile enterprises
from both sides.
While talking about Pakistan’s 3rd textile policy that is currently in process,
Director General Textile Industry Division, Pakistan, Mr. Kanwar Usman
shared that the policy envisions full utilization of home grown cotton to
boost value added exports & carve a name for Pak in global textile & apparel
supply chain. He also stated that Pakistan textile export during covid 19
increased by an impressive 9%.
Source: The Daily Times, Pakistan Friday, 30 April 2021