FTA to bring dramatic increase in Pak-China trade

BEIJING: Special Commentator of China Economic Net Cheng Xizhong said Pakistan, China will enjoy dramatic increase in their trade under the second phase Free Trade Agreement (FTA).

The revised FTA that was signed in presence of Chinese Premier Li Keqiang and Prime Minister Imran Khan here on Sunday is to be effective on July 1st this year. According to Cheng Xizhong, who is also visiting Professor at Southwest University of Political Science and Law, the second phase agreement will facilitate Pakistani exports to China, and further strengthen the trade and economic relations between China and Pakistan; naturally the trade volume between the two countries is expected to enjoy a dramatic increase.

While interpreting China-Pakistan trade and economic relations he said, first, the free trade rate between China and Pakistan will exceed 90% with the signing of the second phase FTA. It surpasses the free trade rate between China and ASEAN countries, which is

about 90%. This reflects China's special care for Pakistan.

Second, China has been Pakistan's largest trading partner, largest source of import and third destination country of export. However, China's export to Pakistan accounts for less than 1% of China's aggregate export volume. As a big country with a population of 1.4 billion, China serves as a huge consumption market for Pakistani goods.

Third, China is experiencing a huge trade surplus with Pakistan for the time being. However, it should be noted that, due to the construction of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) and Pakistan’s socio-economic development, China is investing a large amount of capital, human resources and transferring technologies to Pakistan, which is conducive to boosting its economy and expediting the process of industrialization. In this condition, the deficit will shrink gradually.

Fourth, with the continuous progress of the CPEC projects, particularly in terms of thriving Special Economic Zones (SEZs) and industrial parks, more and more foreign investments will flock into Pakistan, providing a valuable opportunity to improve its manufacturing and export capacity.