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Arab News
30-07-2025
- Politics
- Arab News
Punjab, Beijing review protection of Chinese nationals in eastern Pakistan
ISLAMABAD: Dr. Ahmad Javed Qazi, the home secretary of Pakistan's Punjab, met Chinese Consul General Zhao Shiren on Wednesday to discuss security arrangements for Chinese nationals in the eastern province, the home department said in a statement. The move follows Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif's announcement last week to enhance security measures for Chinese nationals across Pakistan, aiming to boost bilateral engagement under the second phase of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC). Beijing has been frustrated by a string of attacks on Chinese nationals in Pakistan since last year. These attacks have mostly been carried out by separatist Baloch militant groups, who accuse Pakistan and China of depriving locals in Balochistan of a share in the province's mineral resources. Beijing has invested in the province with a key port and has mining interests there as well. Both Islamabad and Pakistan deny the allegations. 'The meeting focused on the law and order situation in Punjab and the security arrangements for Chinese nationals,' the provincial home department said in a statement issued after the Shiren-Qazi meeting. One of the attacks included a bombing at the Karachi airport last October that killed two Chinese engineers returning to work at a power plant. Beijing has called on Islamabad to bolster security for its nationals in Pakistan in recent months. Qazi assured Shiren that ensuring the safety of Chinese tourists and officials working on CPEC projects was a top priority, the home department said. 'We are committed to the security and facilitation of all Chinese nationals residing in Punjab,' he added. 'The capacity of the Special Protection Unit is being enhanced to further strengthen security for Chinese citizens.' Pakistan announced forming the special police unit last year to protect foreigners, particularly Chinese nationals, living in the country amid increasing attacks on Chinese citizens. Qazi highlighted that foolproof security arrangements were in place across all industrial zones across the province. He said the federal government's guidelines regarding the movement of Chinese nationals should be followed strictly. 'Our offices are always open to Chinese citizens and government representatives,' Qazi said. Beijing has been pressing Pakistan in recent months to allow Chinese security personnel to protect the thousands of its citizens working there amid frustration over the attacks. Thousands of Chinese officials live and work in Pakistan, where Beijing has invested in the multi-billion-dollar CPEC project. The CPEC is a network of roads, railways, and energy projects designed to link China's Xinjiang province with Pakistan's Gwadar port on the Arabian Sea.
Business Recorder
25-06-2025
- Business
- Business Recorder
Chinese CG, APTMA leaders discuss trade ties
LAHORE: Chinese Consulate General and All Pakistan Textile Mills Association (APTMA) leadership have resolved to upsurge bilateral trade, take maximum advantage of Free Trade Agreement (FTA) and to explore possibilities of joint ventures in textile industry. Zhao Shiren Consul General of China, Li Haoteng, Commercial Counsellor and Wang Yaqiang, Vice Consul visited APTMA office on Tuesday and discussed in detail prospects, ways and means to increase volume of trade and joint ventures in textile industry. Dr Gohar Ejaz, Patron-in-Chief APTMA and Chairman APTMA Kamran Arshad welcomed the Chinese Consul General at APTMA. They were accompanied by Syed Ali Ahsan, former Chairman APTMA, Zonal Management Committee members including Haroon Ellahi, Muhammad Ali, Faisal Jawed, Ahsan Shahid, Ismail Fareed, Habib Anwar, leading textile exporters, Secretary General APTMA Shahid Sattar and Secretary General North Mohammad Raza Baqir. Speaking on the occasion, Zhao Shiren said both China and Pakistan enjoy strong economic and cultural relations and China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) is an example of this robust relationship between both the countries. He highly appreciated the role of APTMA in general and of Dr Gohar Ejaz in particular in expansion of bilateral economic relations. He enumerated highly plausible services rendered by Dr Gohar Ejaz in cementing relation between China and Pakistan not only as Commerce Minister but also in his private capacity. He also spoke volume about community and welfare services being performed by Gohar Ejaz Foundation for poverty alleviation, medical services, educational and research uplift and industrialization of the country. Consul General highlighted expansion of bilateral trade since the signing of China-Pakistan Free Trade Agreement (FTA) in 2006 and resolved to further uplift the said volume by taking maximum benefits from FTA. He noted that balance of trade is presently in favour of China and assured of his help to not only expand trade volume but also to bridge the gap in balance of trade. He informed that textile goods falling in more than 800 HS tariff lines of customs chapters 50 to 63 enjoy duty free status under FTA on import into China from Pakistan. He emphasised Pakistani textile industry to avail duty free regime widely liberalized for Pakistani textile products since implementation of Phase II of FTA in 2020. Copyright Business Recorder, 2025
Express Tribune
11-03-2025
- Business
- Express Tribune
Tariff policies imposed by US will backfire, warns Chinese consul general in Pakistan
The excessive and aggressive tariff policies reimposed by the U.S. administration, targeting China, the EU, Canada, Mexico, and other countries, have heightened trade tensions and disrupted the global economic order, according to Zhao Shiren, Consul General of China in Pakistan. Framed as a strategy to address alleged trade imbalances, bring back manufacturing, protect American interests, and reclaim economic dominance, these policies are inherently regressive and are expected to backfire, Zhao Shiren noted. He further explained that historical precedents and ground realities suggest that tariffs imposed unilaterally by a major power will fail to restore American greatness. Instead, they will deepen global economic fractures, undermine world stability, harm U.S. consumers and businesses, and risk exacerbating America's relative decline. Reflecting on lessons from the previous trade war and considering the broader implications of the new tariffs, Zhao emphasized that tariffs are not solving problems but creating more, driven by ultra-nationalistic motives and going against the principles of trade liberalization and economic globalization. Zhao Shiren also criticized the new 20% tariffs imposed on China, which have been "justified" by unfounded claims that China is responsible for fueling the U.S. opioid crisis. Zhao dismissed these claims as unsubstantiated and argued that the U.S. administration is weaponizing the fentanyl issue to punish China, despite China's strict export controls and enhanced cooperation with U.S. authorities on fentanyl-related substances. This approach, Zhao argued, exemplifies a shifting blame game, echoing the saying, "One is getting sick while medicating the other for treatment." Historically, narcotics have inflicted severe suffering on China, and since the founding of the People's Republic of China in 1949, China has fought tirelessly against the illegal drug trade. Zhao emphasized that China has been helping the U.S. tackle the issue of fentanyl, having implemented the strictest and most comprehensive counter-narcotics policies in the world. However, despite these efforts, Zhao stated, the U.S. administration has ignored China's cooperation and instead turned to blaming China, which he likened to "returning good with evil." Zhao also pointed out that the tariffs imposed by the U.S. will ultimately burden American households and industries, adding more pain for U.S. taxpayers. Tariffs are not paid by foreign exporters but by domestic importers, which leads to higher costs for consumers. Zhao highlighted that the tariffs from the previous trade war cost the average American household approximately $1,300 annually, and the new tariffs will exacerbate inflationary pressures, disproportionately affecting low- and middle-income families. Zhao believes this will eventually lead to widespread dissatisfaction among the American public. Furthermore, Zhao Shiren criticized the U.S. tariffs for violating international law, particularly the World Trade Organization (WTO) rules, which prohibit discriminatory trade practices. By circumventing WTO dispute mechanisms, the U.S. is eroding the credibility of the international body it helped establish, Zhao argued, and pushing other countries toward alternative arrangements. He noted that the European Union has shown little appetite for U.S.-led efforts due to its own economic challenges. Zhao concluded that U.S. tariffs represent confrontation over cooperation and are a manifestation of the "might-makes-right" philosophy. He warned that continued implementation of these tariffs will not only disrupt international trade and global economic governance but will also weaken America's ability to address its domestic issues, which require a multi-pronged approach rather than unilateral steps. He stressed that imposing tariffs alone cannot solve America's economic woes, pointing to China's significant progress in fields like 5G technology, quantum computing, and renewable energy, while the U.S. lags behind in areas such as infrastructure and labor training. Zhao noted that closing America's infrastructure gap would require an investment of $2.6 trillion over the next decade—much less than the cost of the tariff war. Zhao also cautioned that tariffs stifle U.S. innovation, as they have raised costs for U.S. startups and manufacturers, slowing down the adoption of critical technologies. The U.S. approach to tariffs, Zhao stated, is an illusion of winning a zero-sum game, where trade is viewed as a contest rather than a mutually beneficial exchange. He emphasized that China-U.S. trade has benefited both nations by lowering consumer prices, fueling technological innovation, and supporting millions of jobs. In conclusion, Zhao warned that the legacy of tariffs would become a cautionary tale in a world where supply chains are increasingly interconnected. Protectionist policies, including tariff imposition and the weaponization of trade, will ultimately lead to a dead-end, he argued. He stressed that a nation's economic resurgence is achieved through informed policymaking, strategic collaboration, and adaptability, rather than through short-term measures like unilateral tariffs. The 21st century, Zhao concluded, demands open policies and open mindsets, looking outward rather than inward. Zhao Shiren also posed a series of questions to the U.S., urging it to reflect on the outcomes of its tariff and trade wars: Has the U.S. achieved its objectives? Has its trade deficit widened or narrowed? Has its manufacturing competitiveness improved? Zhao stated that China-U.S. business relations are based on reciprocal interactions, and cooperation is the key to mutual benefit and a win-win outcome. If the U.S. insists on war, whether it be a tariff war or any other type, China is prepared to fight until the end.
