ISLAMABAD: A delegation of China Merchant Group (CMG) visited Islamabad Chamber of Commerce and Industry (ICCI) led by its Director General Yuan Jianmin and showed interest to partner with ICCI in organising the Islamabad Expo. Jianmin said the CMG was the main player in bringing the first trade convoy from China through China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) to Gwadar and it would play more effective role in such future activities. He said that the CMG could join hands with the ICCI in organising the Islamabad Expo or could bring Chinese business community to participate in the said event to explore business opportunities with Pakistani counterparts. He said a delegation of China Council for Promotion of International Trade will also participate in an exhibition at Karachi next month. Briefing about his company, Yuan Jianmin said that the CMG was a leading state-owned conglomerate of China based in Hong Kong and was engaged in diversified businesses including transportation, finance and real estate. He said by the end of 2016, CMG had total assets of 6.81 trillion yuan under its management. He said the CMG’s profits hit a record high after 2015 with revenue increasing 78% to reach 495.4 billion yuan and total profit growing 34% to 111.2 billion yuan. He said the CMG was second among all state-owned enterprise (SOEs) in China and it had been recognised as a level-A SOE for thirteen consecutive years and excellent enterprise for four. Yuan Jianmin said that the Chinese companies were interested to participate in exhibitions in Pakistan to explore new opportunities for further strengthening bilateral trade and economic relations between Pakistan and China. He invited the ICCI to China to hold further discussions for participation in Islamabad Expo. Speaking at the occasion, ICCI President Sheikh Amir Waheed said that the ICCI was planning to organise Islamabad Expo in the coming year to showcase the potential of domestic products to the local and international participants and desired that the CMG should take active participation in the said expo that would help further strengthen business linkages between the private sectors of both countries. He said Pakistan and China had great potential to further strengthen bilateral cooperation in many areas and CPEC had created great potential for business collaboration between the two countries. He said that frequent exchange of trade delegations and active participation in exhibitions on reciprocal basis was the best way to explore new areas of mutual cooperation. ICCI Senior Vice President Muhammad Naveed and ICCI Vice President Nisar Mirza also spoke at the occasion and called for developing strong connectivity between the private sectors of Pakistan and China to exploit unrealised business potential between both countries. Published in Daily Times, November 15th 2017.