Pak China Friendship

Sino-pak: Chinese language centre at KIU soon

GILGIT: Gilgit-Baltistan’s Karakoram International University (KIU) has formally decided to set up a Chinese Language Study Centre in the campus, a university official said on Thursday. “The decision to this effect has formally been taken and classes will start soon,” said the official.

He added that Additional Secretary Foreign Affairs Javed Hassan who visited Gilgit informed Vice Chancellor Dr Najma Najam about the decision. Hassan told Dr Najam that the ministry of foreign affairs and Chinese embassy will jointly establish the centre that will help hundreds of businessmen involved in Pak-China trade. Pakistan is linked with China via Karakoram Highway that passes through G-B. “Diplomats of various countries and experts will deliver lectures in KIU once the centre gets functional,” the official said.

Next Pak-China Development Programme on Trade to be launched in 2012

The next five-year (2012-1216) Pak-China Development Programme on Trade and Economic Cooperation (FYDP) will be launched next year.Ambassador Masood Khan said this in an interview with China Textile News, aChinese language daily which focuses on textile related matters.He said this programme includes collaboration on an Institute of Textile and Clothing.He said Pakistan welcomes Chinese producers setting up factories in Pakistan.“Pakistan has one of the most liberal investment regimes. Pakistan’s investment environment is especially hospitable for Chinese entrepreneurs.Chinese corporate sector has worked in Pakistan for several decades with success,” he noted. 

Ambassador Khan said that most of the Chinese companies are familiar with Pakistan’s manufacturing landscape. 
China has excess capital and expertise in textiles industry. The textile industries’ competencies can be easily transferred to Pakistan. In fact, the best option would be to start exclusive textile zones which could be managed by the Chinese enterprises. 
“We could also experiment with joint ventures. An interface of sorts already exists,” he said. -APP

Pakistan exports dependence on US, EU reducing: Puri

Lahore—Pakistan’s dependence on US and European Union (EU) for its exports is reducing, as their share has scaled down from 60 percent to 40 percent at present. Trade Development Authority of Pakistan (TDAP) Chief Executive Tariq Iqbal Puri stated this in a media briefing at local hotel on Saturday. The TDAP Director General Muhammad Irfan Tarar and DG (SRO) Chaudhry Muhammad Ali, Director Yasmeen Qureshi were also present on the occasion.
Puri said that Pakistan export products are fast taking a niche in the markets of Egypt, Middle East, China, Japan, South East Asia, Far East and Africa.

He said, export target for current fiscal year has been revised from USD 20 billion to USD 24 billion, and so far, export figure recorded at USD 22.5 billion, and hoped that this figure would further shoot up to USD 25 billion by June end. Though there was value factor of the exports, interestingly, the non-traditional exportable products’ volume increased quantitatively, he added.

To a question, the Chief Executive said the Authority was focusing on value addition of exportable products, which would definitely increase the value and quantity of exports manifod. To another query, he said, the TDAP has been discouraging the livestock export at every forum, adding, such an export deprived the leather sector of animal skins and other remains, which could provide maximum foreign reserve through their value addition.

Other than increase in value, there have been major increase in terms of quantity of products if we compare it with the period of July-April FY 2010-11 with corresponding period of last fiscal year: like 30.8% in Wheat, 8.1% in Pulses: 66% in Meat; 40% in Tobacco; 38% in Synthetic Textile, 31% in Knitwear; 25% in Electric Fans; 24% in Vegetables; 23% in Fish;22% in Plastic Material; 20% in Leather etc.

Tariq Puri said that Pakistan government has declared 2011 as “Year of Exports” and “60 Years of Sino-Pak Friendship”.

In addition to focusing on regional activities, he said, the TDAP has planned to enhance its export promotion activities around the globe with special focus on China and Japan. Puri said the arrangements for a four-day 6th Expo Pakistan exhibition to be held in Karachi from October 20, 2011, is in full swing, adding, the response of foreign buyers and local exhibitors is very encouraging.

TDAP has declared China as the focus country for its trade initiatives in 2011-2012 and plans to participate in more than 20 fairs in China as part of Pakistan-China 60-year of establishment of diplomatic relations and recently held the first successful business forum in Kunming, China.

Pak China Friendship Roots School System in collaboration with Confucius Institute, National University of Modern Languages (NUML), Islamabad, organised a Chinese Cultural Exhibition at Roots College International, Islamabad, says a press release issued here Thursday. Head of Confucius Institute Professor Dr. Ge Lisheng, Director RSS Chaudhry Faisal Mushtaq, Mushahid Hussain Sayed, Chairman Pakistan China Institute and Chinese Teacher of Roots School System, Ersin and Ayjan were a part of that along with the management staff of the Roots School System. Chinese cultural books, Chinese workbooks, Chinese textbooks, Chinese dictionaries, Chinese books for children's, different Chinese books on electronics, media, history and many more subjects with put on display at the exhibition. LCD's were placed on which short film documentaries were run and different Chinese health tips and a short film was run on that which was basically about the language barrier, which a student faced when he visited China. Different photo frames were also displayed on which there are different pictures of China's places, and the summer camps, which Chinese government offered every year for the students outside form China especially from Pakistan.