Ahsan Iqbal seeks Chinese collaboration to boost industrial automation

Mettis Global reported that Ahsan Iqbal, Federal Minister for Planning, Development and Special Initiatives, met a Chinese delegation in Islamabad led by Senior Advisor of Economic Affairs Sun Dongsheng. Both parties pledged to widen their development partnership and push CPEC 2.0 forward as a central driver of quality growth. According to a press release, the discussion also centred on turning Pakistan's farming and industrial base into a source of exports.

Iqbal voiced hope that CPEC 2.0 would modernise agriculture and manufacturing through stronger B2B links, a step he said would help narrow the country's trade gap in exports. He also suggested joint work with Chinese counterparts at the National Center of New Manufacturing, where lessons on innovation, automation and robotics from the Industry 4.0 and 5.0 eras could be studied.

Both delegations confirmed their willingness to move the corridor forward, framing it as a pillar of quality growth and wider prosperity. The government reiterated that making productive sectors a force for export growth is still a leading objective.