During her visit to China, Chief Minister of Punjab, Maryam Nawaz Sharif, chaired an investment conference in Guangzhou, where she announced the establishment of a working group, the appointment of a focal person, and the creation of a help desk to support the investment process.
The roundtable conference was attended by representatives from over 60 prominent companies from China and Hong Kong, with participants from sectors including healthcare, artificial intelligence, agriculture, information technology, waste management, solar energy, and more. The Chinese companies provided detailed briefings on their operations and discussed suggestions and recommendations regarding the Pakistan-China Free Trade Agreement. Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz invited technology companies to initiate operations in Punjab.
Maryam Nawaz described Punjab as the “Land of Opportunity” for Chinese companies and thanked the participants for attending the conference. Chinese representatives praised the Chief Minister’s vision and commended the launch of the “No Plastic” campaign in the province.
In her address, the Chief Minister emphasized the launch of the “No To Plastic” campaign to protect the environment, introducing a ban on the manufacturing, sale, and use of harmful plastic products. She also highlighted the ongoing “Zero Waste” mission under the “Clean Punjab” initiative, noting the encouraging participation of Chinese companies.
Maryam Nawaz shared details of several key projects, including efforts to convert waste into renewable energy, modernizing agriculture through mechanization, and focusing on cost-effective energy solutions like windmills, solar energy, and renewable energy sources. She also pointed out that the demand for solar energy in Punjab is continuously rising, with a mega solarization project already underway, and welcomed Chinese companies to collaborate on this initiative.
Additionally, the Chief Minister emphasized the importance of industrial reforms to improve the ecosystem and proposed partnerships in agriculture, including mission manufacturing, food processing, and hybrid seed development. She expressed the desire to tap into Punjab’s valuable young industrial human resources, especially in bio and hydrogen technology.
Furthermore, Maryam Nawaz underlined the need for innovation in the IT sector, welcoming investment in e-commerce, incubator centers, and e-learning. She mentioned that the IT City in Lahore would be transformed into a state-of-the-art hub, inviting Chinese companies to invest in the region. The Chief Minister expressed optimism about the response of Chinese investors to strengthening Pakistan-China relations.
