Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has stressed the importance of strengthening Pakistan-China relations across multiple sectors, including agriculture, mining, information technology, and infrastructure. Speaking at a meeting with foreign business representatives, particularly a significant number of Chinese investors, he underscored the strategic value of this partnership.
Describing the Pak-China friendship as “higher than the Himalayas,” the Prime Minister welcomed the influx of Chinese investors exploring new business opportunities in Pakistan. He highlighted the critical role agriculture plays in Pakistan’s economy, noting that 60% of the population lives in rural areas and depends on this sector. He urged for modernization and expansion in value-added services to fully exploit its potential.
During his recent visit to the Chinese Agriculture and Research Centre, Shehbaz Sharif was impressed by the center’s scale and capabilities. He announced the government’s plan to send 1,000 Pakistani students to China for advanced agricultural training, aiming to boost the sector’s output and increase agricultural exports by an additional seven billion dollars.
The Prime Minister also emphasized China’s crucial role in achieving this goal, particularly through collaboration on the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC). He revealed that Phase 2 of CPEC, focusing on Business-to-Business (B2B) partnerships in agriculture, IT, and other areas, will begin soon. He encouraged companies to engage in these B2B agreements to fully leverage the benefits of CPEC and contribute to Pakistan’s economic growth.
