Pakistan, China focusing on strengthening economic ties’

[ChinaToday]

BEIJING: Pakistan’s Ambassador to China Masood Khalid said that the political and strategic relations between Pakistan and China are robust and the leaderships of the two countries are focusing on enhancing and strengthening bilateral economic and commercial cooperation.
The ambassador said this while addressing a group of prominent Chinese entrepreneurs here at the Pakistan Embassy on Friday.

The ambassador said that friendship between Pakistan and China has consistently maintained an upward trajectory and grown from strength to strength over the last six decades and two countries have a robust architecture for economic and trade cooperation.

He said Free Trade Agreement (FTA) has been signed that covers goods, services and investment. “We have a five-year plan for economic and trade cooperation. Under the next five year plan, we have identified 36 projects worth $14 billion, which cover education, healthcare, water conservancy, agriculture, transport, energy, and environment,” he added.
Ambassador Khalid said, “A number of measures are being taken to increase the trade between our two countries. These measures include dispatch of Chinese purchase missions to Pakistan, encouragement of Pakistani traders and trade officials to participate in Chinese fairs and exhibitions, consideration of unilateral trade concessions by China for Pakistan, second phase FTA negotiations for further trade liberalization, establishment of trans-border economic zones, and increase in the number of entry points in China for Pakistan’s agriculture produce.”

Encouraging the Chinese investors to benefit from the business-friendly policies available in Pakistan, the ambassador said there are vast opportunities of investment in energy, mining, agriculture, textiles, halal food and infrastructure sectors.
“We have special investment environment and incentives for our Chinese friends. We aim at creating multiple, trade-transport-energy corridors between Pakistan and China so that this region can be connected to South, West and Central Asia,” he noted.

Earlier, in his speech, Pak-China Joint Investment Company Managing Director Cao Wenjian informed the audience that this company is a joint venture of the two governments with equity of $200 million.
He said China and Pakistan are all-weather friends. Pakistan, he said, is rich in natural resources and Chinese companies must tap the opportunities available in Pakistan for investment and trade.
On behalf of Pak-China Joint Chamber of Commerce, Frank Lin gave a presentation. He said China has a strong manufacturing sector and the Pakistan-China Joint Investment Company can play a major role in bringing the business communities of the two countries closer to each other for mutual benefit.

Earlier, Economic Minister at the Pakistan Embassy in Beijing Saleem Khan gave a presentation introducing Pakistan’s investment regime to the Chinese investors.
He apprised the Chinese businesspersons of the regulatory policies of Pakistan and the incentives available for them. He said the most attractive sectors for investment in Pakistan are oil and gas, financial businesses, trade, construction, power and communication.
Representatives of Pakistani banks including National Bank of Pakistan, Habib Bank and UBL were also present on the occasion. app

Daily Times - Leading News Resource of Pakistan

Long Live Pak-China Friendship 巴基斯坦中国友谊万岁

 

[ChinaToday]

Pak envoy acknowledges role of CPAFFC in deepening Pak-China friendship

BEIJING, March 27 (APP): Acknowledging the excellent work being done by the Chinese People’s Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries (CPAFFC), Ambassador Masood Khalid has said that the visit of Chinese ophthalmologists under the banner of CPAFFC for carrying out cataract surgeries in Pakistan brought light in the life of hundreds of Pakistanis in the last two years. The ambassador was addressing a reception hosted here Tuesday evening for a visiting group of Pakistani ophthalmologists, who assisted the Chinese doctors and paramedics teams during their stay in Pakistan.

The Chinese teams visited Pakistan following the announcement by former Premier Wen Jiabao during his visit to Pakistan in 2010, when he announced 1,000 free surgeries for cataract patients in Pakistan.
The Pakistani doctors are on a week-long tour to China at the invitation of CPAFFC during which they will be apprised of the latest technologies in the field of ophthalmology. The team had already attended a workshop in China’s renowned Tong Ren Eye Hospital.
Welcoming Ms. Luan Yutao, Deputy Director General of CPAFFC and the Pakistani and Chinese doctors, Ambassador Khalid pointed out that the two countries enjoyed warm and brotherly bilateral relations which were also reflected in their close cooperation in multilateral and regional forums.
He said that the CPAFFC with the support of the Chinese Foreign Ministry, was playing a key role in enhancing people-to-people and cultural contacts between the two countries.
Referring to the 2011-12 Chinese doctors’ visits to Pakistan, Ambassador Masood Khalid said the visits under ‘China-Pakistan Friendship Bringing Light Tour’ were an excellent idea to create an eternal bond of affinity with the Pakistani people.
“I would like to thank all Chinese doctors and staff who went to Pakistan. It was the noblest of all missions,” he said.
He said the gathering comprising both Chinese and Pakistan doctors and diplomats from Pakistan Embassy that the people who underwent cataract surgeries in Pakistan would always remain indebted to their Chinese brethren.
“You brought smiles on their faces and revived their hopes. It is a precious gift which they will not forget throughout their lives,” said Ambassador Khalid. Besides this humanitarian gesture, CPAFFC has carried out a number of other events to cement the all weather and time tested friendship between our two countries. The high point was the event held by the Embassy and CPAFFC jointly to celebrate the 60th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between Pakistan and China in Beijing in May 2011 Similarly, a Pak-China Young Scientists Forum was held in Beijing in April last year with the support of CPAFFC. He said today’s ‘reunion’ gives the doctors from our two countries to create close bonds of friendship.
The Ambassador said that he would like his friends from Pakistan to make best use of this visit to learn more about China and the technological advancements the country has made in the field of ophthalmology. Earlier, in her speech, Ms. Luan said that the doctors’ reunion has facilitated face-to-face exchanges between the ophthalmologists of our two countries.

Talking to APP on the occasion, she said that team, besides Beijing, will also visit two other cities including Shanghai. In Shanghai, the doctors will visit various facilities where state of the art ophthalmology equipments are manufactured. The doctors will also be taken to a Nantong Eye Museum, she said.

Expressing their views on this occasion, Prof. Dr. Ejaz Kanju, Head of Ophtalmology department, Nishtar Hospital Multan and Dr. Imran Akram, Head of Ophthalmology Department, Mayo Hospital Lahore said that cataract is one of the major causes of blindness and the patients who received treatment from the Chinese doctors will always remember their humanitarian contribution.

They thanked the CPAFFC for sending medical teams to Pakistan for free eye surgeries and now inviting them to China, to further cement the bonds of friendship and fraternity.

http://app.com.pk/en_/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=230139&Itemid=2

 

[M.harris]

 

[ChinaToday]

Pak-China ties to further grow in future: Envoy

RAWALPINDI - Chinese Ambassador Liu Jian has said that Pakistan and China are best friends and enjoying mutual, trade, bilateral, cultural and social relations. The newly elected government of China would enhance relations with Pakistan at all levels. The Embassy in Pakistan would invite the Chinese business community in near future to invest in Pakistan to further boost bilateral trade ties. Rawalpindi Chamber of Commerce and Industry (RCCI) was playing a significant role to strengthen trade relation between two best friend countries. He said that embassy appreciated RCCI step of organizing China Week in the Chamber and would cooperate with Chamber in arranging said programs. The Chinese Ambassador to Pakistan Liu Jian was exchanging these views with the traders and industrialists of Rawalpindi Chamber during his visit to the RCCI to kick off China Week here on Wednesday. RCCI senior vice president Pervaiz Ahmed Warriach, vice president Nadeem Rauf, Group Leader Najamul Haq Malik, former presidents, members’ Executive Committee and renowned businessmen of twin cities were also present on the occasion.The Ambassador said that Pakistan was the second largest trading partner of China in South Asia and both countries were enjoying best relations of time. “China will enhance bilateral ties with Pakistan at all level to further strengthen friendship culture and no power on earth can derail our friendship”, he said. He further said that no stone would be left unturned to facilitate business community of Pakistan to enhance trade volume of both countries. Speaking on the occasion, RCCI President Manzar Khurshid Sheikh said that during few years, the trade volume between two brother countries has reached to $12.4 billion which was highest trade volume of Pakistan with any country. He said that Pakistan China friendship was an example for the other countries of the world and relations between two countries are strengthening day by day. Manzar Khurshid said that handing over the Gawadar Port to China was the recent development which would open new horizons for China to capture trading roots of the world. He was of the view that interest of Pakistan and China wee interlinked if one thing was good for china it would also beneficial for Pakistan as well. The President RCCI said that Rawalpindi Chamber was organizing single country expo in China to maintain direct interaction with the business community of China. He said that RCCI organized 20 international expos in a year and 10 more would be arranged in the current year; which shows the commitment of the Chamber towards enhancing trading activities. Later, Chinese ambassador inaugurated the China Week and visited the different stalls of Chinese and Pakistani products.

http://www.nation.com.pk/pakistan-n...ak-china-ties-to-further-grow-in-future-envoy

 

[ChinaToday]

Deepening Banking Cooperation Of Pakistan And China

The Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao stated during a visit to Pakistan: ‘We are good neighbors, good friends, good partners and good brothers’. We have indeed been partners in different areas for not only the past 60 years but for centuries, since the period of the ‘Silk-Route trade’ that connected China to Central Asia and the Indian subcontinent. In recent times, the growth of trade witnessed the birth and proliferation of financial institutions to facilitate it.

Immediately after the establishment of our diplomatic ties, China opened two branches of the Bank of China in Pakistan in the commercial hubs of Karachi and Chittagong in 1951. They continued to operate till 1970 but, as a result of the instability following the breakout of war between India and Pakistan, were discontinued and operations were handed over to the National Bank of Pakistan.

A new chapter in banking cooperation began in December 2010 during the Chinese Premier’s visit, when the Industrial & Commercial Bank of China (ICBC) was invited to Pakistan & the National Bank of Pakistan (NBP) to China for commencing banking activities as foreign financial institutions/banks.

The ICBC is the largest commercial bank of the country, operating 18,000 outlets within China and 105 branches overseas. The largest bank of the world by profit and market capitalization with assets worth USD 1.9 trillion, it was awarded a banking license by the State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) in December and commenced its banking operations with the opening of two branches, in Karachi and Islamabad. A grand celebration was held on May 21, 2011 at the Aiwan-e-Sadr (the Presidency) to commemorate this event. The President of Pakistan himself awarded the licenses and ICBC was finally declared a Scheduled Bank of Pakistan by the SBP on 18 August, 2011.

The People’s Bank of China has also shown interest in opening branches in Karachi & Islamabad. A senior BOC team visited Pakistan in July 2012 to meet SBP officials and complete a preliminary survey. It is expected that PBOC would commence their banking activities by 2013.

Pakistani Banking Sector in China


ICBC

In 1979-1980, China implemented its new regulations on the Establishment of Resident Representative Offices in China by Foreign Banking Institutions, the country’s first legal instrument for entry of foreign financial institutions. Pakistan was the first country to take advantage of the opportunity. In 1980-81, the NBP obtained the license to establish its Representative Office in Beijing, and was an important first financial linkage between Pakistan and China. On the occasion, a grand ceremony was held at the Peoples Great Hall of China in Beijing.

The largest commercial bank of Pakistan, the NBP has always played the role of trustee of public funds and has acted as the agent of SBP. It has more than 1200 branches and operates in 30 important business hubs abroad with the largest number of assets (worth USD 14 billion). NBP had previously maintained 3 branches in Hong Kong, as well, since the 1970s.

It is worth mentioning that NBP also acted as a trend-setter imparting international banking training to young Chinese bankers from the Bank of China at the NBP Training Institute in Karachi.

In 2006, NBP signed an MoU for enhancing cooperation in banking and finance with CDB (China Development Bank), under which financing support would be provided for relevant projects in Pakistan and China; the two banks would cooperate in channeling foreign direct investment through their network and provide training to each other’s personnel. In 2010, NBP also signed the ‘Global Master Trade Agreement’ with the Bank of China. In 2011, NBP signed a similar agreement with Agricultural Bank of China.

Habib Bank Ltd is the largest bank of Pakistan with more than 1400 branches within the country and 30 branches worldwide. The HBL Rep Office in Beijing was opened on 22 February, 2006. In 2009, HBL received permission to undertake cross-border funds settlement directly in RMB, which means that the bank can open RMB accounts in China.

United Bank Ltd is another important banking entity with more than 1100 domestic branches and some 25 overseas branches. UBL entered the Chinese market in 2007 and has built a successful reputation in the Chinese market over the years.

Askari Bank Ltd is a fast growing bank of Pakistan with a widespread network of more than 235 online branches and an offshore banking unit in Bahrain. The Senior leadership of Askari Bank has always attached great importance to the China sector, and has established a ‘China Business Development Cell’ which plays an important role in facilitating the Chinese corporate institutions and business community working in Pakistan. SEVP Mr Haseeb Saulat (Group Head for Marketing) has been the executive head of this department.

Additionally, Askari Bank has introduced many innovative approaches towards promoting the financial cooperation for Chinese state owned companies, private investors and Chinese companies working for new projects.

Pakistan can learn more from the Chinese Financial Management System and groom some of its young bankers for ‘China.’ New avenues must be explored for greater banking cooperation between our countries.

Deepening Banking Cooperation Of Pakistan And China

 

[ChinaToday]

REMARKS BY CONSUL GENERAL H.E. MR. ZHANG JIANXIN AT THE RECEPTION MARKING THE 63RD ANNIVERSARY OF THE FOUNDING OF THE PEOPLE'S REPUBLIC OF CHINA

Honorable Chief Minister Sindh, Syed Qaim Ali Shah,

Honorable Ministers and Consuls General,

Dear Compatriots,

Distinguished guests, ladies and gentlemen:



Tonight we are having a festive gathering here to celebrate the 63rd anniversary of the founding of the People's Republic of China. It is our great honor to have Honorable Chief Minister Sindh to grace the occasion. On behalf of the Chinese Consulate General in Karachi, I would like to extend my warm welcome to all the guests and friends attending the reception, my heartfelt appreciation to all of you who have been long committed to China-Pakistan friendship, and festive greetings to representatives of Chinese institutions and Chinese compatriots working and living in Pakistan.

Ladies and Gentlemen,

Over the past 63 years since the founding of the People's Republic of China led by Chinese Communist Party and Government, Chinese people, through arduous struggle, have succeeded in finding a path of development conforming to China's reality and trend of the times. On the path of socialism with Chinese characteristics, China has made remarkable achievements which have commanded attention of the world. Despite global economic hardship, China's economy sustained a stable growth with an increase of GDP by 7.8% and foreign trade by 8% in the first half of 2012, which brings fresh confidence and impetus to the recovery of the world economy. In the meanwhile, Chinese government attaches more importance to the welfare of common people. With successive introduction of reform measures in the areas such as health and income distribution, economic achievements are being translated into more tangible benefits to vast numbers of households.

This year is an important year for China with the 12th "Five-Year Plan" for economic and social development being in full implementation. The Communist Party of China will have the 18th National Congress, which will draw blueprints and guide China's future development. Though the current world is still complex and volatile in political and economic situation and there are still many difficulties and challenges facing China, we are in full confidence that China is going to have a brighter future!

Ladies and Gentlemen,

China and Pakistan are connected by rivers and mountains. Thanks to care and support from the successive leaders on both sides and the hard work of the governments and peoples of our two countries, an exclusively unique relationship which features all weather friendship and all round strategic partnership of cooperation has been established between China and Pakistan. This special friendship is based on mutual respect and understanding and has taken deep root in the hearts of our people. We are truly good neighbors, good friends, good partners and good brothers. Our friendship, which is "higher than mountains, deeper than oceans, sweeter than honey and stronger than steel" has become our valuable treasury and should be passed on from generation to generation. We are also pleased to see that the increasingly expanding exchanges in various fields between China and Pakistan are prominent and substantial in both Sindh and Balochistan. We believe that more outcomes are yet to be achieved in our bilateral collaboration.

China and Pakistan both play key roles in the region and have tremendous potentials of cooperation. Let us seize the opportunity and surge ahead hand in hand. Let us work together for an evergreen China-Pakistan friendship, for more achievements in our bilateral cooperation, and for a splendid tomorrow of our strategic partnership of cooperation!

May both China and Pakistan be prosperous and their peoples happy!

China-Pakistan Dosti Zindabad!
Thank you.

REMARKS BY CONSUL GENERAL H.E. MR. ZHANG JIANXIN AT THE RECEPTION MARKING THE 63RD ANNIVERSARY OF THE FOUNDING OF THE PEOPLE'S REPUBLIC OF CHINA

 

[RangerPK]

Nice, I wonder if Pakistan would allow China to take advantage of Pakistan's strategic location and natural resources, in return for the development of pakistan's infrastructure, capital and technology.

 

[qinglong-china]

China and Pakistan should establish a common market.

 

[tarrar]

It is a very good news indeed, even Military ties will get stronger but the problem here is doing it practical. When Pakistan is ruled by the corrupt & incompetent this is where the problem starts, it is because of the incompetent leaders or politicians things get delayed or they go veryyyyyyyyy slow, resulting in cancelation of contracts or changes in terms & conditions, etc.

To make this news good, practical work is required which this corrupt & incompetent Govt. & politicians will not do or damage these good contracts for their own personal interests.

Let's be hopeful & pray for good for Pakistan because our Pakistan has been harmed very badly by PPP, PML-N, PML-Q, ANP, JUI, JI & MQM for their own personal interests.

China and Pakistan should establish a common market.

I pray for the strongest Pak China relationship. In both Economic & Defence.

Nice, I wonder if Pakistan would allow China to take advantage of Pakistan's strategic location and natural resources, in return for the development of pakistan's infrastructure, capital and technology.

I hope they do. Pakistan needs to develop & develop real fast because all the development was damaged by corrupt & incompetent politicians, a moving Pakistan was stopped by these corrupt bastard incompetent politicians.

Only China can help Pakistan develop real fast & I pray for it.

 

[qinglong-china]

Nice, I wonder if Pakistan would allow China to take advantage of Pakistan's strategic location and natural resources, in return for the development of pakistan's infrastructure, capital and technology.

Nice, I wonder if Pakistan would allow China to take advantage of Pakistan's strategic location and natural resources, in return for the development of pakistan's infrastructure, capital and technology.

In China, speaking of China-Pakistan relations, chinese people first thought is that Pakistan and Cuba support China in the United Nations in 1989 .At that time western countries joint sanctions against China. China help Pakistan based on this friendship not for strategic location and natural resources. Because Russia, Mongolia, Australia has rich natural resources and India is nothing in the eyes of the Chinese people (Chinese never regard India as a rival ).
Chinese very cherish this friendship with Pakistan.
In the Wenchuan earthquake, Pakistan donation is not most of all donor countries. but you won the best evaluation. Why? Becase Pakistan try your best. China report that Pakistan donated tents accurate to single digits, moving strategic reserve tent.

China help Pakistan Whether Pakistan would allow China to take advantage of Pakistan's strategic location and natural resources or not.

The way China helping Pakistan needs consultations between the two governments. Because China and Pakistan have different cultures and national conditions.
China just want to help rather than intervene in your country things. So I think Pakistani political parties should have a unified national development plans, otherwise, China don't know how to help.

 

[qinglong-china]

Nice, I wonder if Pakistan would allow China to take advantage of Pakistan's strategic location and natural resources, in return for the development of pakistan's infrastructure, capital and technology.

The development of the country is a long-term plan , A plan for a political party, another plan for another party. only lead to the country lost. China helping Pakistan is also a long-term plan , A help plan this year, Another help plan next year, result in Pakistan and China lost, which is the Chinese do not want to see.

This is my personal view, if error, please Pakistan friends help me to correct

 

[Dil Pakistan]

The development of the country is a long-term plan , A plan for a political party, another plan for another party. only lead to the country lost. China helping Pakistan is also a long-term plan , A help plan this year, Another help plan next year, result in Pakistan and China lost, which is the Chinese do not want to see.

This is my personal view, if error, please Pakistan friends help me to correct

On surface you are right but there is lot more to Pak China friendship than Pakistan governments and their policies. The co ordination and work on plans continues behind the scene at steady pace. Usually not affected by the ongoing turmoil and trabulations.

 

[qinglong-china]

On surface you are right but there is lot more to Pak China friendship than Pakistan governments and their policies. The co ordination and work on plans continues behind the scene at steady pace. Usually not affected by the ongoing turmoil and trabulations.

Brothers, thank you for your correction, I understand what you said. My English is not good, it may not expressed clearly.
If you have offended you, please forgive.

 

[haviZsultan]

I don't understand why we don't pull away from the US and develop a better relationship with China. China has always been a friend and atleast they haven't mistreated us. We should offer China military bases within Pakistan and evict the Americans from Shamsi and other bases.

These are the reasons not to have a relationship with US:
1) Nuke deal with India but refused to Pakistan
2) Davis kills 2 Pakistanis and escapes. There is no proof of Afia being a terrorist and still in jail and will be there forever.
3) Fazlullah hiding in Kunar. Faqir Mohammed's (Ex-Bajaur Chief's) bases in Afghanistan.
4) US refusal to condemn India for the Siachen incursion but raising an outcry on the Kargil one which was made by fauji's after the Siachen debacle when they took 1000 miles of our land.
5) USA's offer to sell better quality F16's to India compared to what they sold us.
6) Framing of Pakistani innocents in the name of terrorism-Seen it, researched it.
7) Maltreatment of Pakistanis in airports and hounding of Pakistani political Organizations in north America. Even secular ones. Yes-this is the only thing they are good at.
8) Support for dictators in Pakistani land. 3 major ones had their backing. Zia was the one who Islamicized Pakistan with their blessing in case you did not notice.
9) Presler Amendment. When we were not needed by USA anymore. Cold war over, Afghanistan in ruins but of course the Soviets disgraced as they wanted that is what came. Military and economic cooperation CUT and mark my words IT WILL HAPPEN AGAIN-200% chance and I bet on my life when this war on terror is over this will come again. They will harass us even more than they are now.
10) The blame Pakistan suffers on a daily basis. Pakistan is held responsible for every failure. I believe you think we are responsible. Partly I agree, yes. But you do not know about the successes, Ramzi yousuf, Baradar, Khalid Sheikh (top 9/11 terrorist) were all capture by us.
11) Pakistan counting on US support and not getting any in 1971. Weak point? Leave that then. I think it is too. But consider the rest.
12) Add to this the Indian nuclear test smiling Buddha in 74 being ignored by the US while ours in 98 resulting in our military and economy being sanctioned.
13) Add to this the framing of Kashmiri activist Syed Ghulam Nabi Fai in a false case as an ISI agent in another attempt to malign ISI

These are the reasons for a relationship with China:

Why China:
1) Helped us greatly with nukes-US applied sanctions
2) Common interests. Chinas war with India in 1962.
3) Chinese rise as a superpower. Piggyback on it and we can rise too but we don't see the oppotunity. As US sinks China will rise.
4) Higher than mountains and deeper than the seas-thats our relationship Hu Jin Tao said. They have helped us up when we were going through sanctions and were not getting exotic US machinery, J10's, JF17's.
5) One day China will beat the US economically and militarily. We should choose the right side and consider our future.

 

[Dil Pakistan]

Brothers, thank you for your correction, I understand what you said. My English is not good, it may not expressed clearly.
If you have offended you, please forgive.

My brother, I was not offended at all and I was not trying to correct you ether. I only expressed what I really feel about Pak China friendship - a very close relationship.