Loudi and Gujrat Sign Sister City Agreement to Strengthen CPEC Collaboration
China and Pakistan have taken another step toward strengthening bilateral cooperation as the Chinese city of Loudi, located in Hunan Province, and Pakistan's Gujrat signed a sister-city Memorandum of Understanding (MoU). The agreement marks the beginning of a structured and long-term partnership focused on economic development, trade, investment, cultural exchange, and technical collaboration.
The MoU was signed in Lahore by Yang Wei, Mayor of Loudi City, and Shafay Hussain, Punjab's Minister for Industries, Commerce and Investment. The signing ceremony was attended by Sun Yan, Consul General of China in Lahore, highlighting the growing importance of regional partnerships under the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC).
The newly established sister-city relationship is designed to promote institutional cooperation by creating opportunities for knowledge sharing, business engagement, and investment across multiple sectors. Both cities are expected to work closely on initiatives that support sustainable economic growth while strengthening people-to-people connections through cultural and educational exchanges.
Agricultural modernization has emerged as one of the primary areas of cooperation. Loudi is widely recognized for its expertise in agricultural machinery manufacturing, while Gujrat possesses a strong industrial and agricultural base. By combining these complementary strengths, both sides aim to improve farming productivity, introduce advanced agricultural technologies, and encourage industrial partnerships that benefit local businesses and farmers.
As part of the engagement, Mayor Yang Wei led a delegation comprising chairpersons of five leading agricultural machinery enterprises from Loudi on a three-day business visit to Lahore. During the visit, the delegation conducted site inspections and held detailed discussions with Pakistani stakeholders to identify potential cooperation opportunities and investment projects within Pakistan's agricultural machinery sector.
In another positive development, the Loudi Branch of the China Council for the Promotion of International Trade (CCPIT) signed a friendship and cooperation agreement with the Pakistan-Hunan Chamber of Commerce and Industry. The agreement is expected to strengthen commercial ties, facilitate business networking, and encourage greater collaboration between enterprises from both regions.
The sister-city partnership reflects the expanding scope of China-Pakistan relations beyond large-scale infrastructure projects, demonstrating a shared commitment to regional development, industrial cooperation, and long-term economic integration under the evolving CPEC framework.