LAHORE– On demand of the Lahore Chamber of Commerce & Industry, Chinese Embassy has started biometric verification facility at Lahore for visa issuance.
Inauguration ceremony of biometric verification facility was attended by the Chinese Ambassador Yao Jin, LCCI President Almas Hyder, Senior Vice President Khawaja Shahzad Nasir and Vice President Faheem-ur-Rehaman Saigal.
The Chinese Ambassador said that biometric verification facility has been started from Lahore in order to further facilitate people to people exchanges between China and Pakistan and to provide applicants with more comfortable environment and more efficient services.
He said that mutual trade can be enhanced through people to people direct contact. Businessmen of both the countries should play their role to further increase bilateral trade.
He said that both Pakistan and China have huge potential to increase the bilateral trade as the existing volume of two-way trade between the two countries is very small when it is compared with the total Chinese business with the other countries of the world.
LCCI President Almas Hyder, Senior Vice President Khawaja Shahzad Nasir and Vice President Faheem-ur-Rehman Saigal thanked Chinese Ambassador for accepting demand of the Lahore Chamber of Commerce & Industry and commenced the facility of biometric verification from Lahore for visa issuance saying that it would save precious time and capital of the business community.
They said that provision of good facilities to the members of the Lahore Chamber of Commerce & Industry is their top priority.
LCCI President Almas Hyder said that China is a time-tested friend and a very important partner in Pakistan Economic Development and bilateral trade.
The involvement of Chinese enterprises, both in terms of Technical and Financial assistance in several development projects is reflective of our cordial relations based on mutual trust and sincerity.
He said that China is very important trading partner of Pakistan and it is expected that bilateral trade between Pakistan and China will touch the new heights within the next few years.
“Our bilateral trade has grown, but it is nowhere near the potential that exists between the two countries. Pakistan has a lot to offer as it is rich in all kinds of resources”, Almas Hyder added.
He said that both the countries not only share border but also have unanimity of views on various political & economic issues. The two countries have a combined market of more than 1.5 billion people but the trade volume needs to be pushed up.
The Chinese importers may have better prospects for Pakistani goods particularly of Carpets, Leather and leather products, Surgical Equipment, Sports goods, Fruits and vegetables, Rice, Pharmaceuticals, Cotton etc.
He said that joint ventures can be initiated in sectors like Construction, Hotels and Tourism; SMEs cluster development, Computer & Cellular chips, Textiles & Garments, Home Appliances, Corporate Farming, Seafood and Food Processing, Banks & Finance, Light Engineering etc.
China has expertise both in agriculture and agro-based industry and if some Joint Ventures are carried out, it would be mutually beneficial for both countries. The increase in agricultural production would not only help in meeting our local demands but also enable us to export surplus quantity to China.— PRESS RELEASE
