260-member business delegation to accompany Premier Wen to Pakistan

BEIJING, DEC 6 (APP): A 260-member business delegation, including private entrepreneurs, would visit Pakistan, along with Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao later this month. Pakistan’s Ambassador to China Masood Khan was informed about this during his meeting with the Vice Chairman, China Council for the Promotion of

International Trade (CCPIT) Yu Ping here Monday afternoon.

Ambassador Masood Khan said that Pakistan and China enjoy close brotherly ties spread over last six decades.

He said the trade volume between Pakistan and China is increasing at a rate of 30% per year and is likely to increase to US$ 18 billion in less than five years from the existing US$ 7 billion.

Ambassador Khan said a China-Pakistan business summit in Islamabad will look at ways to reduce trade deficit between the two countries while taking steps for increasing the total trade volume.

Mr. Yu told the Ambassador that in view of the importance of Pakistan-China relations the number of business delegates has been increased from 150 to 260.

He said China’s advance economic team, which is already in Pakistan, has held 14 useful and fruitful meetings in Islamabad during the past few days.

Ambassador Masood Khan welcomed the Chinese purchase mission to Pakistan which would look into the possibility of increasing imports from his country to China.