ISLAMABAD: The Federation of Pakistan Chamber of Commerce and Industry (FPCCI) has urged the govt to remove hurdles in the way for Pak-China trade including visa issues, freight charges and low trade volume.
In this regard, FPCCI Chairman Qurban Ali said that during the closure of Khunjerab Pass because of the pandemic was decreasing bilateral trade volume between Pakistan and China, while bilateral trade was also being hampered due to expensive freight charges of Chinese containers.
The FPCCI chairman said this in meeting of a delegation of the FPCCI led by him with Ambassador of China in Islamabad, Nong Rong, was at the Chinese Embassy here along with senior business leaders of the chamber. Hunza Chamber of Commerce Industry (CCI) President Mehboob Rabani and Gilgit CCI former president Mushtaq Hussain also attended the meeting.
He informed that freight charges from Urumqi to Sost for 30 containers were 20,000 RMB in November 2017. “Now, freight of vehicles has been increased up to 120,000 RMB.”
Qurban also said that Chinese visas for businessmen should be simplified whereas Chinese visas should easily be provided to the business community of Pakistan. “Last year, no Pakistani businessman went to China due to the closure of the border due to the Covid-19 pandemic and now we must make up for it,” he added.
Further, the FPCCI chairman also called for enhancing the China and Pakistan economic and trade connectivity through Gilgit Baltistan (GB).
Qurban Ali said that the GB region is a gateway under CPEC to provide opportunities to the Chinese business community and investors to connect with Central Asian Republics (CARs).
He said that Chinese investors and businessmen can invest and start Joint Ventures (JVs) with local industrialists in the Gilgit Baltistan (GB) special economic zone (SEZ), in value addition on agriculture, livestock, mines and minerals and milk products.
“There is also huge potential of hydro power in GB, which can provide cheap energy for the industrial sector and a secure business opportunity.
Ambassador Nong Rong said that the China’s Embassy in Islamabad would coordinate with the enterprises of both countries and also promote Pakistan’s enterprises in China.
