APTMA and Chinese Consulate Seek to Boost Bilateral Textile Trade
In a notable step to advance bilateral trade and investment, the Chinese Consulate General and the All Pakistan Textile Mills Association (APTMA) leadership convened to explore deeper economic cooperation in Pakistan’s textile sector. The meeting underscored the mutual commitment to leverage the China-Pakistan Free Trade Agreement (FTA) and pursue joint ventures that could elevate Pakistan’s global textile presence.
Consul General Mr. Zhao Shiren, accompanied by Commercial Counsellor Mr. Li Haoteng and Vice Consul Mr. Wang Yaqiang, visited APTMA’s office, where they were welcomed by Patron-in-Chief Dr. Gohar Ejaz and Chairman Kamran Arshad, alongside key APTMA officials and textile exporters. Zhao lauded the longstanding Pak-China relationship, highlighting CPEC as a cornerstone of economic partnership, and praised APTMA’s efforts—especially Dr. Ejaz’s—in enhancing commercial ties.
He drew attention to over 800 textile tariff lines, spanning customs chapters 50 to 63, that are duty-free for Pakistani exports to China under the current FTA. He encouraged exporters to fully utilise the Phase-II FTA liberalisations introduced in 2020 and extended the Consulate’s support in facilitating visas, trade delegations, and exhibition participation. A proposal for a Pakistani B2B textile delegation visit to China was welcomed as a strategic move for deepening industry ties.
Dr. Gohar Ejaz reiterated Pakistan’s competitive strengths, including low labour costs, energy reforms, and taxation improvements, positioning the country as an attractive textile investment hub for Chinese partners. He shared plans for a private-sector-led 1,000-acre industrial estate in Lahore, designed with ready-to-operate infrastructure for Chinese firms. According to him, such collaborations could help Pakistan boost its textile exports from $18 billion to $100 billion in the $900 billion global market.
Chairman Kamran Arshad presented Pakistan’s integrated textile value chain and investment-friendly policies in Special Economic Zones under CPEC. He invited Chinese manufacturers to relocate to Pakistan’s garment cities and capitalise on favourable US tariffs for Pakistani-origin goods amidst US-China trade tensions. He also urged the Consulate to support a recent proposal submitted by the Punjab Government to China’s CCCT.
The meeting concluded with shared optimism about reinforcing B2B linkages, capitalising on FTA opportunities, and driving deeper economic integration between China and Pakistan.