ISLAMABAD: Chinese businessmen are keen to explore investment oppurtunities, joint ventures and partnerships, with particular focus on the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) projects, said Kashgar Chamber of Commerce and Industry Vice-President Zhang Shu Zhi on Monday.

Speaking at the Islamabad Chamber of Commerce and Industry (ICCI), Mr Zhi, who is leading a Chinese business delegation to Pakistan, said the two sides have agreed to work in the fields of roads construction, building materials, cement manufacturing, travelling and logistics, electricity generation, decoration material, food products.

Quoting the delegation members, Mr Zhi said, “We have travelled to Pakistan by road. We feel Pakistan is like a second home for us”.

He said the private sectors of Pakistan and China should develop close cooperation to draw maximum benefits from CPEC-related projects and explore untapped areas for mutual collaboration.

President ICCI Khalid Iqbal Malik in his welcome address said that CPEC had opened new avenues for long-term cooperation between China and Pakistan.

Mr Malik, agreeing on the need for increased mutual cooperation between the private sectors of both countries, said that they should interact on a regular basis to explore viable business matchmaking as well as to actively participate in CPEC projects.

He said that many sectors of Pakistan’s economy including construction, building materials, cement production, energy, infrastructure development and logistics offer lucrative investment opportunities.

He added that Chinese investors should bring technology and machinery to Pakistan to set up industrial units here.

He hoped that the delegation’s visit would lead to materialisation of good business deals bet­ween entrepreneurs of the two countries.

Published in Dawn, September 26th, 2017