FAISALABAD, June 20: China’s Xinjiang state collector Younuc Yucup, also heading a visiting Chinese delegation, has said that China and Pakistan are investment-friendly countries. Speaking at a meeting of the Faisalabad Dry Port’s Customs Officers and Management here on Monday, Mr Yucup said that business circles of both the countries should exchange trade delegations to explore further business opportunities.

He said the Chinese delegation had recently visited Rawalpindi Chamber of Commerce and Industry and exchanged views for the promotion of trade and industry between the two friendly states.

He extended an invitation to customs collector Ikramullah Ghauri, FDPT general manager Khalid Saifullah and officials of the customs and DPT to visit Sinkyiang province, where 17 dry ports were in operation.

Mr Yucup said that a trade fair in Xinjiang from Sept 1 to Sept 6 this year would provide an ample business opportunity to Pakistani traders.

Pakistani exporters should display their products in the fair to provide an opportunity to Chinese traders what products they should import from Pakistan. He expressed the hope that Pakistani traders would fetch lucrative orders from Chinese importers.

He further said that an exhibition of Chinese products was being held in Karachi in which 18 Chinese companies and 30 delegates were taking part.

About the achievements of the Sust Dry Port built by China in collaboration with a Pakistani company near Gilgit, he said the dry port had started its operation in May, 2005.

Spreading over an area of 6,000sqmt, he said the Sust Dry Port would be expanded in the 2nd phase. The exchange of visits between the FDP and the SDP would help improve the expertise of their managements.

Commenting over the significant improvement in the FDP, Mr Yucup said that it was indeed one of the best dry ports in Pakistan where custom clearance facilities and transportation facilitates from Faisalabad to Karachi was available.