Karachi: Speakers at the seminar have urged Pakistani entrepreneurs and policymakers to focus on increasing exports to China, highlighting the urgent need to address the country’s massive trade imbalance.
They also highlighted the immense potential of the China-Pakistan partnership, particularly in the areas of manufacturing, special economic zones, and investment-led development.
The seminar, titled ‘Economic Diplomacy as a Driver for Trade & Investment: China-Pakistan Partnership,’ was jointly organized by the Economic Diplomacy Forum and the Consulate General of China at the Chinese Consulate on Wednesday.
Speaking on the occasion, industrialist Zubair Motiwala emphasized that China is not only an exporting country but also a major importer, with annual trade of 3.64 trillion USD in exports and 2.64 trillion USD in imports.
Motiwala said that Pakistan currently exports only 3 billion USD worth of goods to China while importing goods worth 21 billion USD, calling this imbalance “unsustainable” and urging proactive steps to exploit trade opportunities under the Free Trade Agreement.
He stressed that Pakistani entrepreneurs have the potential to become drivers of economic growth by identifying sectors where local products can replace imports in China, including textiles, plastics, minerals, precious stones, solar technology, and automobiles.
Motiwala also highlighted the role of the Trade Development Authority of Pakistan’s web portal, describing it as an “Alibaba-like platform” that can help entrepreneurs connect directly with Chinese buyers, bypassing bureaucratic hurdles.
The industrialist called for face-to-face meetings with Chinese counterparts on a sectoral basis, saying: “Textile people should talk to textile people, plastics with plastics. There are many opportunities to explore, and China is ready to buy from Pakistan.”
Motiwala further praised China’s support for Pakistani industrial and energy projects, particularly in wind and solar sectors, and emphasized that collaboration with Chinese investors could boost industrialization, create jobs, and strengthen Pakistan’s economy.
He concluded by urging immediate action, stating that long-term economic benefits can only be realized by starting concrete steps today rather than waiting: “If we want it, it will happen. Pakistan can be the driver of its economy with China as a true partner.”
The Consul General of China in Karachi, Yang Yundong, said that China serves as the leading trading partner to more than 160 nations and regions worldwide.
He said that over the past five years, China had imported more than 15 trillion U.S. dollars’ worth of goods and services from the world and had contributed more than 300 billion U.S. dollars in tax revenue to host countries through its overseas investments, creating a significant number of jobs and driving local economic development.
Yang Yundong added that Chinese leaders had repeatedly emphasized that reform and opening-up is a fundamental national policy of China and that the country would only become more open.
He affirmed that China would continue to foster a first-class business environment that is market-oriented, law-based, and internationalized. He also mentioned that China would remain committed to deepening the international division of labor and cooperation, firmly safeguarding the security and stability of global industrial and supply chains, and fostering a global market characterized by win-win cooperation and shared prosperity.
He noted that the year 2025 marked a pivotal year as the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) entered its second decade and was a year of deepening efforts to achieve higher-quality and higher-level development.
Yang Yundong highlighted that China had promoted a dual leap in both “hard connectivity” and “soft connectivity.”
He said that the “Silk Road E-commerce” cooperation mechanism now covered 36 countries, making trade flows smoother and more efficient, while the “Digital Silk Road” had profoundly empowered industrial upgrading in partner countries. He further said that China was leading the wave of building the “Green Silk Road,” sharing advanced technologies in wind and solar energy to help “Global South” countries achieve a green transition in their energy mix.
He revealed that in 2025, China’s trade in goods with BRI partner countries had reached 3.3 trillion USD, a year-on-year increase of 6.3%, outpacing the overall trade growth rate by 2.5 percentage points.
He also said that in the same year, China’s non-financial outward direct investment (ODI) in BRI partner countries amounted to 39.63 billion U.S. dollars, reflecting an increase of 18%.
In his welcome address, Dr. Muhammad Farooq Afzal – Founder President, Economic Diplomacy Forum – expressed sincere appreciation to the Chinese Consulate for its close collaboration, noting that their participation reflected the strategic depth of China–Pakistan relations and a shared commitment to advancing economic cooperation.
He said that in the contemporary global economy, diplomacy has evolved into a strategic instrument for attracting foreign direct investment, strengthening manufacturing capacity, and integrating economies into global value chains.
“Economic diplomacy today is judged not by statements or agreements alone, but by capital mobilized, industries established, technology transferred, and markets accessed,” he added.
He stressed that for emerging economies like Pakistan, investment-led growth is no longer optional but essential.
Other speakers included Secretary Investment Sindh, Zubair Ahmed Channa, Former President FPCCI Zubair Tufail, and Former Chairman PJBF Kaleem Farooqi.
