PM Shehbaz Invites Chinese Firms to Invest in SEZs, Seeks Stronger Trade Links with Tianjin Port
Tianjin: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has invited Chinese companies to invest in Pakistan’s **Special Economic Zones (SEZs)** while expressing his desire to expand trade between Pakistan’s ports and **Tianjin Port**.
According to a statement issued by the Prime Minister’s Office, Shehbaz Sharif met with **Lian Maojun**, Standing Member of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Tianjin and Party Secretary of Tianjin-Binhai New Area, along with his delegation.
During the meeting, the Prime Minister highlighted that Pakistan-China friendship holds a **unique and distinguished place globally**, with both countries always standing by each other in difficult times. He acknowledged China’s vital role in Pakistan’s socio-economic development, particularly through the **China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC)**, which has contributed to energy sector growth and infrastructure development.
Shehbaz Sharif said **CPEC Phase II** will focus on smart cities, agricultural industry cooperation, and next-generation technology. He also lauded Tianjin’s progress under President Xi Jinping’s leadership and expressed keen interest in enhancing economic and trade cooperation between **Tianjin-Binhai New Area and Pakistan**.
He emphasized expanding collaboration between **Karachi Port, Port Qasim, Gwadar Port, and Tianjin Port**, benefiting from Tianjin’s expertise in **port handling and operations**. The Prime Minister welcomed Chinese investment in Pakistan’s SEZs, particularly in pharmaceuticals, biomedicine, and animal vaccines, while underlining Pakistan’s progress in recent economic reforms, including **FBR digitization, a new national economic policy, and IT sector promotion**.
Shehbaz Sharif also invited a high-level industrial and economic delegation from Tianjin to visit Pakistan.
During the briefing, Tianjin-Binhai New Area officials shared details of its industries, including **intelligent technology, green petrochemicals, automotive, biomedicine, new energy, aerospace, cold-chain storage, deep-sea mining, and gene therapy**. They noted that trade with Pakistan already includes fertilizers, pharmaceuticals, tires, minerals, and fisheries, while expressing interest in expanding cooperation, especially in **e-commerce**.
The meeting was attended by Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar, Planning Minister Ahsan Iqbal, Information Minister Attaullah Tarar, SAPM Tariq Fatemi, Chinese Ambassador to Pakistan Jiang Zaidong, Pakistan’s Ambassador to China Khalil Hashmi, and senior officials.
