Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Friday welcomed the decision of Chinese technology firm IBI Group to establish its digital economy headquarters in Pakistan, saying the move would help strengthen economic cooperation and investment ties between Islamabad and Beijing.
The prime minister made the remarks during a meeting with an 11-member Chinese business delegation led by IBI Beijing United Technology founder and president Qian Xiaojun at the Prime Minister’s House in Islamabad.
According to an official statement, PM Shehbaz said Pakistan and China enjoyed “historic and time-tested relations” and praised the rapid development achieved by China under the leadership of President Xi Jinping. He also expressed eagerness for his upcoming visit to China later this month.
The premier appreciated the growing business-to-business engagement between the two countries and termed IBI Group’s decision to establish a digital economy hub in Pakistan an encouraging development.
He said IBI Digital’s presence in Pakistan would promote cooperation in the digital economy, attract investment and enhance industrial collaboration between the two countries.
Mr Qian expressed confidence in Pakistan’s economic potential and said the company was keen to support digital reforms in the country’s economic sector.
He said the establishment of a digital economy headquarters in Pakistan would create new opportunities for local small and medium-sized enterprises by improving their access to Chinese markets.
The delegation’s visit follows the Pakistan-China Business-to-Business Investment Conference held during Prime Minister Shehbaz’s visit to Beijing in September last year.
Federal ministers Qaiser Ahmed Sheikh, Jam Kamal Khan, Shaza Fatima Khawaja and Ali Pervaiz Malik, along with senior officials, also attended the meeting.
