BEIJING: Pak-China collaboration has enhanced recently to promote Pakistani pharmaceutical development. “China has equalized or surpassed the developed nations’ pharma standards over a period of time. With 30 years of experience in cooperation with China, our progress is accompanied by the dividend of the development of China’s pharmaceutical industry,” said Waheed Ahmed, Chief Executive of Shaigan Pharmaceuticals Pvt Ltd at the CPHI & PMEC China held last week, according to Gwadar Pro. As Asia’s leading pharmaceutical show for trading, knowledge sharing and networking, CPHI & PMEC China spans all industry sectors along the pharmaceutical supply chain including APIs, excipients, finished dosage, natural exacts, biophama &CDMOs, animal health&feed, medical supplies, etc. Waheed, who has been attending the expo since 1995, noted that CPHI China is becoming more and more informative due to the major R&D work being carried out in China. China, Pakistan’s largest trading partner and the largest producer of API, attaches importance to investing in chemical labs and training scientists. China’s key technologies are developing rapidly, and the quality of pharmaceutical and mechanical products is reliable, he explained. “This time I am exploring future technologies and newly developed products, especially in biosimilers and new drug delivery systems,” Waheed mentioned, “meeting my over 15 collaborative partners who are all old friends at the expo and witnessing their growth is always a pleasure and opportunity to tap new business range.” At the expo, Jack, head of a pharmaceutical packaging machinery manufacturing enterprise integrating R & D, production and sales service told Gwadar Pro that Pakistan has a huge pharmaceutical market of 250 million people, making it one of the most promising pharmaceutical consumer markets. The industry has grown rapidly in recent years and its production capacity has greatly increased, as can be told from the fact that the equipment they provide has been upgraded from small and low speed machinery to large and high speed machinery. “We provide guidance on the use and maintenance of the entire production line to help Pakistan master advanced packaging technology,” Jack added that, “Pakistan’s pharmaceutical industry has a good foundation for cooperation with China.We are in the process of selecting local partners in Pakistan for further cooperation. ” According to the Trade Development Authority of Pakistan, the Pakistani pharmaceuticals industry plays a prominent role in the domestic market. The value of the sector was estimated at $3.29 billion, growing in double digits in the last five years. Although Pakistan has established itself progressively as a manufacturing platform for pharmaceuticals, the country remains a small player in the global scenario. A significant untapped export potential exists in the exports of pharmaceuticals from Pakistan. Huang Hong, who supplies raw materials and pharmaceutical equipment to Pakistan, said that Pakistan is encouraging the pharmaceutical industry to gain a foothold at home, which is also the direction of his efforts. They are turning to technical cooperation to boost exports from Pakistan’s pharmaceutical industry. Learning from China’s experience has driven his company to expand export range to South Asia, Asia Pacific, Central Asia, Africa, Waheed said, adding that they are also collaborating with China in the high-tech pharmaceutical RND sector to develop more affordable products. The 20th Pharma Asia is scheduled to be held in Karachi in September. Waheed welcomed the participation of Chinese pharmaceutical companies in the expo to learn more about the situation of the pharmaceutical industry in Pakistan and the investment environment and advantages in the country.