Pakistan, China ink MoUs to boost tea sector cooperation, agri technology, desalination

• First MoU inked for collaboration on seawater desalination project.
• Second MoU signed for cooperation in agricultural technology.
• Sharjeel Memon and Saleem Mandviwalla ink the MoUs.

Pakistan and China on Monday signed three memoranda of understanding (MoUs) to strengthen bilateral cooperation in the fields of desalination, agricultural technology and the tea industry.

President Asif Ali Zardari, who is on a five-day visit to China, witnessed the signing of the MoUs between Pakistani and Chinese entities.

The first MoU was concluded between the local government, the Government of Sindh and Lucion Environmental Technology Group for collaboration on a seawater desalination project in Karachi aimed at increasing the city’s supply of water.

The MoU was signed from the Pakistani side by Sharjeel Inam Memon, Sindh Senior Minister and from the Chinese side by Yuhui, Secretary of the Party Branch and Chairman of Lucion Environmental Technology Group.

The second MoU between the local government, the Government of Sindh and Long Ping Hi-tech Information Company for cooperation in agricultural technology was signed by Sharjeel Inam Memon on behalf of the Sindh government and Chen Zhixin, Chairman of Longping High-Tech Information Company.

The third MoU on tea sector was signed between MESKAY & FEMTEE Trading Company, Hunan Tea Group and Jiaolong International Technology (Hainan) to promote cooperation across all areas of the industry, with a view to supporting the development of tea industry in both countries and strengthening economic, trade and people-to-people ties.

The MoU was signed from the Pakistani side by Senator Saleem Mandviwalla and from the Chinese side by Zhou Chongwang, Party Secretary and Chairman of Hunan Tea Group, and Hao Jiaolong, Chairman of Hainan Jiaolong International Trade Technology.

Syed Qasim Naveed Qamar, Special Assistant to the Chief Minister of Sindh for Investment and Public-Private Partnership Projects; Ali Hassan Barohi; Chief Secretary, Sindh and Pakistan’s Ambassador to China Khalil Hashmi were also present on the occasion.

President Zardari touched down in China just after midnight on Saturday, beginning an official visit centred on strengthening economic and trade ties, with a focus on the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC).

A day earlier, President Zardari visited SANY Heavy Industry Co., Ltd. in Changsha, Hunan province; China where he was briefed by Chairman of Sany Group Tang Xiuguo, on the company’s advanced manufacturing systems, product lines and ongoing investments in research and development.

The visit focused on exploring avenues for industrial cooperation, technology transfer and investment between Pakistan and China in the engineering and construction machinery sector, the President Secretariat Media Wing said in a press release.

Last year, President Zardari travelled to China on a 10-day official visit, where he met senior Chinese leadership to deepen bilateral ties, expand cooperation across sectors and push forward shared priorities.

Six MoUs were signed between the Sindh government and business partners, covering agriculture, defence, energy, rail connectivity and farmer training, with plans to scale these initiatives to other provinces.