Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, on November 2, approved the establishment of 20 new trade posts across Pakistan’s embassy and consulates in China, aiming to strengthen Pakistan’s export potential and reduce the trade deficit with Beijing.
The strategic decision was taken during the Economic Coordination Committee (ECC) meeting, aligning with Pakistan’s broader goals of economic expansion and fostering stronger trade ties with China.
New Trade positions across key Chinese Cities
The majority of these new roles will be local hires at the staff level and will be distributed not only at the Pakistan Embassy in Beijing but also across consulates in Chengdu, Hong Kong, Guangzhou, and Shanghai.
“The Pakistan Embassy will hire local staff as Trade Development Officers and Investment Officers. The Embassy needs this human resource because they are severely deficient in that,” the official added, emphasizing that the decision has been communicated to relevant ministries in Islamabad.
The move followed insights gained during a recent business conference in Shenzhen, where the prime minister’s delegation observed a significant gap in the resources dedicated to trade and investment promotion.
“It was during the Business Conference in Shenzhen during the visit of the prime minister when it was evident that with existing less than even modest human resource for investment and trade promotion, the goal of enhancing Pakistan’s exports and a robust economic relationship with China will remain elusive,” an official told The News.
Mixed reactions on Trade post expansion
While officials and diplomats largely welcomed this decision, anticipating long-term benefits for Pakistan-China trade relations, the move has met with criticism. Dr. Kaiser Bengali, a prominent economist and former member of the federal government’s Austerity Committee, voiced his opposition.
“How inane! Over 20 new trade offices to be set up in China to boost exports! More non-development expenditure! The key to exports is revival of the industrial sector to produce more, better, and cheaper, not creating more bureaucratic positions,” he expressed on Twitter, questioning the efficiency of such initiatives in addressing Pakistan’s trade deficit.
Despite the critique, proponents argue that having personnel proficient in Chinese and familiar with the local business landscape can significantly improve business connections.
An official explained, “Given the breadth of China (bigger than Europe), there is a need to reach out to various provinces and municipalities, and these new staff will prove useful in reaching out to the breadth of businesses across China.” This approach, they argue, will provide Pakistan with valuable access to China’s diverse markets, potentially bolstering exports and supporting economic growth.