ISLAMABAD: The Federal Board of Investment, in collaboration with the government of Sindh and the Pakistan-China Business and Investment Forum organised the “CPEC Industrial Cooperation B2B Investment Conference.”

The conference was attended by over 100 Chinese companies from various sectors and over 400 Pakistani businessmen.

From Pakistani side, the Chairman and Minister of State, Board of Investment, Muhammad Azfar Ahsan welcomed the investors and informed that through B2B initiatives under CPEC, Pakistan and China will foster the investment under the second phase of the CPEC.

The secretary, BoI, appraised the positive prospects of investment in Pakistan. She presented the opportunities in the Special Economic Zones that provide incentives pivotal for attracting the investment from abroad, especially from China.

High-level dignitaries and stakeholders of the CPEC spoke in the conference.

These included the Advisor to Prime Minister on Commerce and Investment, Abdul Razak Dawood, Secretary, Board of Investment, Fareena Mazhar, Chief Secretary, Government of Sindh, Syed Mumtaz Ali Shah, Special Assistant to Prime Minister of CPEC Affairs, Khalid Mansoor, Jam Ikramullah Khan Dharejo, Sindh Minister of Industries, Commerce and Anti-Corruption Establishment, and Li Bijian, the consul general of China in Karachi.

The B2B Investment Conference also received the participation of the private sector and the academia. The Industrial Commercial and Cooperation Bank of China (ICBC) shared the role of the Pak-China Business and Investment Forum.

The latter was launched by the Chinese Embassy, All Pakistan Chinese Enterprise Association, and the Board of Investment, under the witness of Prime Minister Imran Khan.

A signing ceremony of Service Long March Tyre, a Joint Venture between Pakistan and China, facilitated by the BOI was also signed.

Following the first session, special B2B meetings were arranged in the sectors of Information Technology, Agriculture, Transport and Urban Development under Public Private Partnership, Automobiles, Pharmaceuti-cals and Special Economic Zones. The Government of Sindh and BOI presented the investment opportunities in these sectors which were followed by presentations from Major Chinese and Pakistani Companies. These companies included, China Machinery (CMEC), China Railways (CREC), China Construction (CCECC), China Road and Bridge Cooperation (CRBC), BYD Autos, the largest EV manufacturer of China, Cansio Bio, Zong, China Mobile, NORINCO and Ali Baba Global, to name a few.

The Pakistani and Chinese companies had fruitful communication with each other, as well as with the Sindh and federal government.

Major JVs are expected in the future through this event.

Previously, similar event had also been arranged in Lahore and Peshawar that also reaped several fruitful results. As the CPEC phase-II has been in vigor, this event received a warm welcome from the business circles, as well as at the diplomatic and government level.

Source: Business Recorder