Over 55 executives and CEOs of leading Chinese companies on Friday called on Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan and pledged to invest USD 5 billion in the cash-strapped nation over the next five years, according to an official statement.
The visiting Chinese business delegation represented various sectors including construction, machinery, glass, automobile, electrical, power, transportation, information technology and technological research among others.
"Chinese business executives expressed confidence in the business friendly policies of the government and committed to invest USD 5 billion over a period of five years in various small and medium size industrial sectors," the statement said.
Pakistan has so far received billions in financial aid packages from friendly countries like Saudi Arabia, China and the UAE during the current fiscal year.
During the meeting, Khan welcomed the Chinese delegation and stated that China has always been a trusted partner of Pakistan.
The sagacity, wisdom and vision of the Chinese leadership for peace & development, good governance and poverty alleviation is highly impressive and worth emulating, said Khan.
He added that the interest of Chinese companies towards investment and relocating business and industrial units to Pakistan reflected the trust of the Chinese side in the growing economy of Pakistan.
He said the Chinese side have a strong desire to translate Pak-China equation into a win-win economic partnership.
Our Government is facilitating investors and reducing impediments in ease of doing business'. Partnership with Chinese companies and their investment will reap multiple benefits for both the countries including employment generation, transfer of technology and economic growth," he said.
Talking about China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), Khan reiterated that ambitious project will prove to be a game-changer with respect to enhancing trade activities and further cementing Pak-China relations.
The CPEC, which connects Gwadar Port in Balochistan with China's Xinjiang province, is the flagship project of Chinese President Xi Jinping's ambitious Belt and Road Initiative (BRI).
"Fast-track implementation of the CPEC projects is our priority for which a special unit is overseeing implementation of various projects in Planning Division," he said.
China's Ambassador Yao Jing said that Chinese investors have observed fundamental improvement of policies and facilitation of foreign investors in Pakistan.
"Chinese government will extend all possible support towards realising the vision of a strong, stable and prosperous Naya Pakistan, Yao said.
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