As part of its strategic efforts to deepen engagement with the Belt and Road Initiative, a high-level delegation from China’s Loudi City, led by Vice Mayor Yang Wei, completed a three-day trade and investment mission to Pakistan.

The visit delivered significant progress in sister-city cooperation, industrial collaboration, and market-access opportunities for Loudi’s key industries, according to a Gwadar Pro's report on Tuesday.

The delegation’s first stop was Gujrat, Pakistan’s renowned “City of Fans,” where it was welcomed by Chaudhry Shafay Hussain, Punjab’s Minister for Industry, Trade and Investment, and Noor ul Ain, Gujrat’s Additional Deputy Commissioner.

Following exchanges on the two cities’ economic and development priorities, the delegation visited leading local manufacturers Royal Fan and Trend Line Furniture.

The visits provided firsthand insights into Gujrat’s industrial capabilities, supply chains, and market conditions, helping Loudi companies better identify opportunities for expansion into Pakistan’s growing commercial landscape.

On July 21, Loudi and Gujrat officially signed a Sister-City Memorandum of Understanding, elevating bilateral ties to a new level. On the same day, the Loudi Council for the Promotion of International Trade and the Pakistani Hunan Chamber of Commerce signed a Friendship and Cooperation Agreement, establishing a long-term platform for business coordination and exchange.

The signing ceremonies were witnessed by Sun Yan, Chinese Consul General in Lahore, who highlighted that the agreements—signed on the 75th anniversary of the establishment of China-Pakistan diplomatic relations—represent a concrete example of subnational cooperation advancing under “CPEC 2.0”.

The partnerships will help strengthen industrial complementarity, economic cooperation, and people-to-people connectivity between the two countries.

During the visit, Vice Mayor Yang also extended an invitation to Minister Hussain to attend the 2026 Hunan International Sister-City Economic and Trade Conference, scheduled for September in Changsha.

The delegation then visited the QABP Industrial Park, where it conducted detailed assessments of footwear and steel manufacturing facilities.

The team examined industrial infrastructure, investment policies, and opportunities for alignment with Loudi’s strengths in advanced steel and new materials. The visit laid important groundwork for future cooperation in production capacity, investment, and industrial development.

Reflecting on the mission, Vice Mayor Yang emphasized that the objective was not limited to individual projects, but to establish long-term platforms for cooperation and create sustainable pathways for business engagement.

Credit: Independent News Pakistan (INP) — Pak-China