by Khalid Aziz

 

ISLAMABAD, April 30 (Gwadar Pro) – Members of Rawalpindi Chamber of Commerce and Industry (RCCI) and relevant Pakistani officials in China and Pakistan on Thursday held a brainstorming session online to discuss how to secure a due share in the over $2 trillion import market of China.

 

The conference had particular significance in the backdrop of the updated China-Pakistan FTA. CPFTA-II, effective since Jan 1, 2020, is showing results now, said Badar Zamar, Pakistan’s Trade and Investment Officer (TIO) in Beijing. He said that Pakistan’s exports to China shot up by 64% during Jan-March 2021. 

 

The participants stressed the need of robust efforts to take full benefits of the concessions granted by the Iron Brother to Pakistani traders under the CPFTA-II.

 

However, the government officials told the traders that value-addition, certification, and branding were all a must for penetrating the Chinese market. The Chinese authorities also offer generous help by training Pakistani traders and workforce to meet the required standards, they said. They also told the traders to appoint local agents for effective marketing and ensure active presence in trade exhibitions held in China. Pakistani traders asked the officials to organise sector-specific webinars with their Chinese fellows for them.

 

On the occasion, President RCCI Nasir Mirza said that the CPFTA-II had opened up the door for Pakistani traders to the Chinese market. He said that the RCCI members were interested in exports of gems and precious minerals to China. 

 

Bilal Ahmad Butt, consul general of Pakistan in Hong Kong SAR, China told the traders that Honk Kong was a big consumer market with no local production. He said that traders in Hong Kong were particularly interested in importing gems and minerals from Pakistan. Hong Kong is also a big market for Pakistani fruits and vegetables, he said. They have also offered free training on value addition of gems, minerals and food items to Pakistani investors and workers, he said.  

  

Director of the Pak-HK Trade Forum Javed Iqbal said that Pakistani traders should invest in cold chain for food items, and value addition, packaging and certification for their goods to enter Hong Kong’s market. He said that Hong Kong-based investors were keen to invest in Pakistan in these sectors.

 

DG of Trade Development Authority of Pakistan Shahzad Khan said that a delegation of traders from Guangzhou will soon visit Pakistan to explore opportunities of investment in dairy sector.