China to import potato, cherry, wheat from Pakistan: Ambassador

ISLAMABAD – Chinese Ambassador to Pakistan Yao Jing on Friday said that China was interested to enhance its import of potato, cherry, wheat besides increasing its investments in other sectors of the economy to further cement the bilateral trade and investment relations between both the countries.

The top Chinese envoy called on Federal Minister for National Food Security and Research Sahibzada Muhammad Mehboob Sultan and discussed the matters relating to promoting bilateral trade and cooperation in different sectors of the economy including agriculture and livestock.

Jing said that the Chinese government would also formally invite Pakistani experts to monitor the hybrid rice seed expertise of China and monitor the facility to enhance its local output of the crop and promoting its exports.

Speaking on the occasion, the minister said that Pakistan and China were members of various organizations and being the member of Shanghai Cooperation Organization, Pakistan had endorsed agreement on cooperation in agriculture between the governments of the member states of the organisation.

China, he said, produces food for 20 percent of the world’s population and it also imports huge quantity of food for its population. China was a strong force in the South Asian region and CPEC opened up new venues of cooperation between two friendly neighbours.

The minister said that China is the 4th largest export market of Pakistan, adding that it was heartening that both countries have signed free trade agreement (FTA) which has facilitated to expand bilateral trade.

He further said that the Prime Minister’s visit in the first week of November 2018 was very important as both sides signed (MoU) also on agriculture cooperation has also been signed on the same occasion followed by Chinese delegation’s visit to the Ministry of National Food Security.

Federal Minister Mehboob Sultan said that government was moving ahead to collaborate in achieving foot and mouth disease-free zone and a memorandum of requirements for the establishment of FMD free zone is currently negotiated by both sides.

He added that we believe in ease of doing business and if we collaborate for the elimination of FMD it will boost our meat export to China.

Mehboob Sultan extended his invitation to Chinese experts to visit the three districts of Punjab which are identified as FMD free zone.

He also expressed his desire that both countries in coming joint Working Group meeting, to deliberate upon working on establishing FMD vaccine plant in Pakistan with the Chinese assistance, and move towards self-reliance in the subject.