Pakistan and China agree to deepen cooperation in desalination, agriculture and tea production sectors

Pakistan and China on Monday signed three memorandums of understanding (MoU) in Changsha, covering water desalination in Karachi, agricultural technology and cooperation in the tea sector, according to an official statement shared by the presidency.

The MoUs aim to enhance cooperation between industrial sectors, support the development of the tea industry and strengthen economic, trade and people-to-people ties.

President Asif Ali Zardari witnessed the signing ceremony, which marked the continued engagement between Pakistan and China in priority sectors.

Senior Sindh officials including Special Assistant to Chief Minister for Investment and Public-Private Partnership Qasim Naveed Qamar, Chief Secretary Ali Hassan Barohi and Pakistani Ambassador to China Khalil Hashmi also attended the event.

The ceremony took place in Hunan province and was part of broader efforts to expand practical cooperation between the two countries in strategic sectors, according to the Pakistan People’s Party.

The first MoU was signed between the Sindh Local Government Department and Luchuan Environmental Technology Group. It focuses on a project to convert seawater into drinking water to help increase supply in Karachi.

Sindh Chief Minister Sharjeel Inam Memon and Yu Hui, party secretary and chairman of the Chinese company, signed the agreement.

The second MoU was signed between the Sindh Local Government Department and Longping High-Tech Information Company to promote cooperation in agricultural technology. It was signed by Sharjeel Inam Memon and Chen Zhixin, president of the company.

The third agreement concerns cooperation in the tea sector and was signed by Muskeen & Family Trading Company, Hunan Tea Group and Jialong International Technology (Henan). Senator Saleem Mandviwalla signed on behalf of Pakistan, while Zhu Chongwang and Hao Jiaolong signed for the Chinese side.

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The president, who is on a week-long visit to China’s Hunan and Hainan provinces for engagements related to economic and trade cooperation, said Pakistan attaches great importance to expanding collaboration with China in key industrial sectors.

On Sunday, President Zardari visited SANY Heavy Industry in Changsha, where SANY Group Chairman Tang Xiuguo briefed the President on the company’s advanced manufacturing systems, products and continued investment in research and development. Later, Chairman Zardari also visited Hunan Tea Group Co Ltd, where Chairman Zhou Zhongwang briefed him on operations, supply chain and international market presence.