By our correspondent
ISLAMABAD: Planning Minister Ahsan Iqbal said on Tuesday that the government had made it a priority to transform Pakistan’s productive sectors into engines of export growth as part of efforts to address the country’s persistent export deficit.
He made the remarks during a meeting with a Chinese delegation led by Senior Advisor of Economic Affairs Press Sun Dongsheng in Islamabad. The meeting focused on economic cooperation, industrial development and the next phase of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor.
Iqbal expressed hope that CPEC 2.0 would help modernize Pakistan’s agriculture and industrial sectors by promoting greater business-to-business cooperation between Pakistani and Chinese companies.
He said stronger B2B engagement could help Pakistan improve productivity, introduce modern technologies and develop industries capable of competing in international markets. The minister also linked the success of the next phase of CPEC with efforts to increase exports and create sustainable economic growth.
Iqbal proposed closer cooperation with Chinese counterparts at the National Center of New Manufacturing. He said Pakistan could benefit from China’s experience in innovation, industrial automation and robotics as it prepared for the demands of Industrial Revolution 4.0 and 5.0.
The minister said learning from China’s industrial transformation could help Pakistani manufacturers adopt new production methods and improve efficiency. Greater use of automation and advanced technologies could also support the development of higher-value products for export markets.
The Chinese delegation and Pakistani officials discussed ways to strengthen development cooperation and improve economic linkages between the two countries.
Both sides expressed readiness to deepen development synergy and promote mutually beneficial cooperation. They also agreed to work together to advance CPEC 2.0 as an important driver of high-quality economic development and shared prosperity.
