Pakistan, China ties to deepen on strategic cooperation, trade

Pakistan’s ambassador to China, Syed Ali Asad Gilani, says his priorities include expanding bilateral trade, attracting Chinese investment and deepening strategic and security cooperation. In an interview with the Associated Press of Pakistan, he said trade between the countries remains below its potential and identified manufacturing and processing as areas where investment could help Pakistan add value to raw materials and increase exports.

Gilani also highlighted improved links between Xinjiang and Pakistan’s northern areas, including easier movement through Khunjerab Pass, as a way to support trade and people-to-people exchanges. He described CPEC 2.0 as a move beyond infrastructure towards productivity and value-added growth, citing agriculture, industry, science and technology, mining, artificial intelligence and information technology as priority areas. Mettis Global reported that he sees Chinese expertise and cooperation as important to Pakistan’s economic and technological development.