Beijing: The Pakistan–China B2B Investment Conference in Beijing concluded with the signing of agreements worth USD 8.5 billion, marking a major boost to bilateral economic cooperation, according to China Economic Net (CEN).
The second edition of the conference, held on September 4 at China World Hotel, brought together business leaders from both countries to explore opportunities in key sectors. Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, addressing the gathering, described the outcome as a “long march of economic growth” and assured investors that he would personally oversee facilitation, pledging that delays in approvals would not be tolerated.
Of the total commitments, USD 7 billion were secured through Memorandums of Understanding (MoUs) and USD 1.54 billion through joint ventures. The agreements cover agriculture, textiles, electric vehicles, solar energy, health, chemicals, minerals, and steel.
Pakistani executives including Osama Abid of Al-Hammd International, Engr. Asad Ahmed of PMDC, and Kashif Mehtab Chawla of Al-Karam Textiles highlighted Pakistan’s strengths in raw materials, workforce, and GSP+ access to European markets, while acknowledging challenges such as regulatory hurdles, lack of advanced machinery, and logistics constraints.
Chinese participants, including Ren Hongbin of CCPIT and Xu Guimin of Zhongjing Kehui, emphasized that applying China’s industrial expertise in Pakistan could create “win-win” outcomes if facilitation and business processes continue to improve.
To address investor concerns, Pakistan has established the Special Investment Facilitation Council (SIFC) to expedite approvals and ensure security for foreign investors. Officials assured Chinese firms of streamlined procedures and direct state-level support.
Beyond financial figures, participants agreed that the agreements represent a long-term shift towards positioning Pakistan as a regional manufacturing hub through Chinese investment, technology transfer, and industrial collaboration.
Samra Zulfiqar, a real estate analyst at Zameen.com, is passionate about finding projects that offer buyers the best returns. Her keen insights spotlight the market’s most promising opportunities.
