Planning Minister Ahsan Iqbal stressed Pakistan’s interest in benefitting from China’s technological progress for the development of electric vehicles (EVs), state-run Radio Pakistan reported on Wednesday.

Pakistan and China share a longstanding strategic partnership rooted in mutual trust, economic cooperation and regional connectivity. Over the decades, ties have expanded across different sectors — including trade, energy, defence and infrastructure — with the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) symbolising a shared vision for development.

Speaking to the media in Beijing during an official visit, the planning and development minister expressed Pakistan’s “desire to benefit from Chinese technological advancements”, according to Radio Pakistan.

This includes the development of next-generation batteries, such as sodium-ion batteries, which offer advantages over traditional lithium technology.

Iqbal also reaffirmed Pakistan’s interest in developing the EV sector in partnership with China, noting electric vehicles as a “key area of future cooperation between Pakistan and China”.

He stressed that establishing EV manufacturing in Pakistan would offer cost advantages for Chinese companies, adding that it would also help Pakistan to reduce its dependence on fossil fuels.

The planning minister is currently on an official visit to China, where he is conducting meetings with officials to strengthen bilateral relations between the two countries and advance plans for economic cooperation and development.

Last week, Iqbal met with Chinese Vice Foreign Minister Sun Weidong in Beijing, where the two parties discussed the second phase of CPEC, industrial development and business-to-business cooperation.

On Sunday, he met with the president of China’s Development Research Centre and Centre for International Knowledge on Development, Lu Hao. During the meeting, Iqbal stated that strong economic collaboration between Pakistan and China was key to national development.

Separately, the government yesterday approved a five-year subsidy scheme for the rollout of 116,000 electric bikes and 3,170 electric rickshaws/loaders, with an estimated cost of around Rs100bn.

The scheme is part of efforts to encourage the adoption of EVs in Pakistan, reduce oil imports, and foster environmental sustainability. Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif is expected to launch the initiative on August 14 formally.