Daily Times

Pakistani jewellery is shining at 3rd China International Import Expo, being held in Shanghai, Gwadar Pro reported on Saturday.

The Expo (CIIE) grandly opened this week. As the world’s first import-themed national-level expo, it connects enterprises across the globe together to tap the great potential of the Chinese market and give fresh impetus to the world economy inflicted by the coronavirus pandemic.

Thirteen Pakistani enterprises specialized in jewellery design and manufacturing, cross-border trade, freight transportation, furniture, artistic handicrafts are attending this year’s CIIE. Among all the exhibits, stunning gems and jewellery from Pakistan become a big hit with the Chinese buyers. “This is the third time that we’ve attended CIIE. After attending the first CIIE as visitors, we promptly decided that we should participate as an exhibitor to showcase our products as we saw huge potential in the Chinese market,” said Faizan Ahmed from Shakeeb Gems.

Although it took 14 days to put himself in quarantine, Faizan Ahmed’s enthusiasm for this expo never cools down because at last year’s CIIE he found targeted purchasers. “Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, we’ve been to neither any exhibition nor other city since last year. We think China is safer than any other country in the current pandemic situation. So we come here and try to explore business opportunities,” he said.

This year he brought Pakistan’s tourmaline, lapis, garnet, sapphire and ruby to this expo. As he observed, among all these gems, tourmaline is Chinese people’s favourite. Just before the interview with China Economic Net began, one Chinese men bought a multi-color tourmaline necklace for his wife at RMB 2,000 with satisfaction from this booth.

According to Faizan Ahmed, for the gems of the same quality, his price is usually 20% to 30% less than the Chinese one, and the CPFTA Phase II makes the price more competitive. “The export tariff has been eliminated and we only needs to pay VAT now. Previously the maximum tax rate is 32%,” he said.

Increasingly more Pakistani entrepreneurs are aware of the importance of building brands. Winza, a Pakistani jewellery brand attracted large attention from Chinese netizens even before the expo kicked off not only because of its Kashmir sapphire and Swat Royal Green emeralds but also the delicate and elegant design. “As an enterprise, we are creating our own culture of design. I’m from Pakistan, and I take Pakistan as our cultural ‘Intellectual Property’ (IP).

As a Pakistani now living far away from my motherland, what I am doing is also promotion of Pakistan,” Aqeel Ahmed Chaudhry, founder of Winza, said with love for his country. When it comes to his understanding of branding, he views building a brand as creating a standardized and responsible system for customers as well as the company itself for long-term development. “Jewellery is a kind of cultural and historical inheritance, and branding will give it better protection,” he further explained in fluent Chinese.

To avail more business opportunities in China, many Pakistani jewellery and handicraft exhibits are designed to cater to the cultural taste of the Chinese. If someday you find them in a Chinese shopping mall, you will never know that they are from Pakistan by the appearance. An artwork from Winza shaped in dragon, an auspicious mythical creature in Chinese culture, is specially designed for the Chinese market. A tea set made from oynx and handicrafts with traditional Chinese characters are also eye-catching.

Pakistani jewelers are now in close cooperation with Chinese designers and manufacturers. They flexibly decide who to design and where to process to achieve the most satisfactory result and maximum profit. The ongoing CIIE will be held till November 10. Pakistani exhibitors are expected to return from a fruitful journey.

With Pakistan’s exports to China rise via China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC)’s progress, more Chinese people will fall in love with the soul-stirring beauty of Pakistani jewellery.