In a significant development aimed at deepening economic integration between Pakistan and China, Lt. General Abdul Qayyum (retd), Chief Patron of the China Pakistan Business Forum (CPBF), has called for the institutionalization of business-to-business (B2B) linkages to accelerate bilateral trade, investment, and industrial cooperation under the spirit of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC).

He made these remarks during a high-profile visit to the Islamabad Chamber of Commerce and Industry (ICCI), where he led a large delegation of prominent Chinese investors alongside CPBF Co-Chairman Sheikh Ejaz Asghar, according to Gwadar Pro. The Chinese delegation included Guan Yinkui, President of CPBF Yuncheng City; Guo Peng, Chairman of China Medical Industry; Zhang and Wan, representatives from the medical and retail sectors; Ms.

He, Secretary General of CPBF Shijiazhuang Office; Cui Hao, Zhang Zeping, and Xiong Peixin of Hebei Bashi Supply Chain Company. Abdul Qayyum emphasized that the delegation’s visit followed up on the B2B engagements initiated during Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s recent visit to China, which sought to translate strategic dialogue into practical business outcomes. He proposed the creation of a permanent joint committee of leading entrepreneurs from both countries, to be led by ICCI, as a platform for sustained engagement and coordination on trade and investment matters.

Welcoming the delegation, ICCI President Sardar Tahir Mehmood underlined the Chamber’s proactive efforts to strengthen Pakistan-China economic cooperation. He highlighted that the second phase of CPEC has expanded its focus to include exports, the digital economy, renewable energy, mineral development, regional connectivity, and human capital enhancement.

He revealed that under this new phase, over 10,000 Pakistani youth will receive technical and vocational training in China, enabling them to acquire advanced skills and contribute to the country’s industrial productivity and export competitiveness. Sardar Tahir also announced ICCI’s plans to organize an international investment conference to showcase Pakistan’s export, tourism, and industrial potential, inviting greater foreign participation in the country’s growth story.

Sheikh Ejaz Asghar appreciated ICCI’s dynamic role in fostering economic engagement and proposed that the upcoming investment conference be organized jointly with CPBF. He assured that over 100 leading Chinese companies would participate, reflecting Beijing’s keen interest in expanding commercial partnerships with Islamabad.

He further suggested that ICCI, in collaboration with the Federation of Pakistan Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FPCCI), take the lead in establishing a modern Expo Center in the capital to host large-scale exhibitions and trade fairs. Chinese investors at the meeting reaffirmed their commitment to contribute to Pakistan’s economic revival by investing in industrial modernization, production expansion, and job creation.

The session was also attended by ICCI Executive Members Zulqurnain Abbasi, Raja Naveed Satti, Mohammad Waseem Chaudhry, Imran Minhas, and Zeeshan Mehmood, who expressed optimism about the growing momentum of China-Pakistan business cooperation. The visit marked another step toward consolidating China’s role as Pakistan’s most reliable development and investment partner, as both nations continue to move from government-to-government cooperation toward stronger business-led economic engagement.

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