By Zhao Xiaopeng

 

 

BEIJING, Sept.13 (China Economic Net) - The Pakistan National Pavilion was officially inaugurated at the 2024 China International Fair Trade in Services (CIFTIS) in Beijing on Friday, marking another joint effort made by China and Pakistan to showcase investment opportunities in Pakistan and further promote bilateral trade.

 

As chief guest of the event, Pakistani Ambassador to China Khalil Hashmi stressed the importance of the pavilion in providing business opportunities to Pakistani stakeholders. 

 

“As one of the major fairs for China's opening up to the world, thousands of enterprises have come here every year. This also highlights the unique appeal and attraction of Beijing as a capital city—one that draws in talent, capital, and good management practices. By bringing these elements together, the CIFTIS creates a significant impact and adds more value,” the envoy said.

 

At this year's CIFTIS, around 80 countries and international organizations set up exhibitions and held conferences, and more than 450 Fortune 500 companies and industry leaders participated in the offline exhibition.

 

To fully take advantage of the business event, the Pakistani embassy has, for the first time, directly reached out to the business community of Pakistan and encouraged them to participate in the exhibition. As a result, more than 15 exhibitors have come from Pakistan to have their debuts on the occasion.

 

The embassy has also invited the Export Processing Zones Authority and Special Economic Zone Authority to the exhibition to showcase incentives and policies for Chinese investors in Pakistan. 

 

“There is an option for Chinese investors to set up manufacturing in Pakistan, and export products from Pakistan to the European Union, where we have good market access, and the Middle East, where we have also finalized the Free Trade Agreement,” Hashmi told CEN.

 

“We have a strong foundation to promote China-Pakistan trade cooperation,” Hashimi said, referring to almost 11 years of the construction of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), and the China-Pakistan Free Trade Agreement.