Prime Minister’s Address as Guest of Honour at the China International Import Expo Shanghai

November 05,2018

Excellency President Xi Jinping,
Esteemed Guests of Honour,
Excellencies,
Ladies and Gentlemen,
 
It is my great pleasure, today, to lead the Pakistan delegation at the first China International Import Expo.
I want to especially thank President Xi and the Chinese Government for the Hospitality extended to me and my delegation.
Ladies and Gentlemen,
As the Belt and Road Initiative gives shape to a global community of shared interests, this Expo will help spread dividends of freer trade, among more closely integrated economies.
In Pakistan the Karakoram Highway merges into a network of modern highways that are part of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor. These take you to the deep sea port of Gwadar, the point where the Belt and Road converge. This impacts not only on Pakistan, but has an impact on the economies of the entire region.
CPEC shall cut distances and costs, bringing much needed resources to producers, and new products to consumers.
CPEC is a mechanism to forge even closer connectivity between the Middle East and China, and between Central and South Asia.
CPEC is opening fresh investment avenues, new markets and new vistas.
Ladies and Gentlemen,
My party, the Tehreek-e-Insaf or PTI, campaigned during the last elections in Pakistan for change. And now when we are in power, we are initiating deep and meaningful reforms impacting all sectors and every aspect of government.
We are committed to improving our framework of transparency and accountability, leveraging technology for seamless, smart solutions for business and governance.
We are blessed with an abundant array of resource ranging from mineral riches to fertile lands, to the wealth of renewables and the most diverse landscape with twelve climate zones.
Our Industry is already producing high end textiles, sports goods, engineering goods, IT services and medical technologies including surgical instruments.
But by far, our greatest and most promising resource is human. We have 100 million Pakistanis below the age of thirty five-a young vibrant population.
The Naya or New Pakistan will be a more conducive and a more competitive place for transacting business.
Ladies and Gentlemen,
At a time when the international trade system is under attack, when unilateral commercial benefits are being sought aggressively by some, and when protectionism is on the rise, we take great comfort in President Xi’s courageous affirmation: ‘The doors of China’s Opening Up will never shut; but will only open ever wider’.
I thank you all.