The Pakistan-China Mineral Cooperation Forum has been identified as a pivotal step towards enhancing economic and investment collaboration between the two nations, with the government actively pursuing the conversion of previously signed agreements into tangible outcomes, a top official said on Wednesday.
Addressing the forum as Guest of Honour today, Federal Minister for Board of Investment (BOI) Qaiser Ahmed Sheikh underscored that the event was a significant initiative aimed at fortifying economic cooperation between the allied countries.
Sheikh highlighted the “iron friendship” binding the two nations, characterising it as a time-tested relationship built on mutual trust and shared objectives. He suggested that Pakistan could learn substantially from China”s “extraordinary development,” adding that increased collaboration in minerals and other strategic sectors would create new pathways for sustainable growth.
The minister emphasised the need for greater people-to-people and business-to-business engagement, referencing a visit by over 300 Pakistani firms to China in September 2025. This interaction led to the signing of 167 Memorandums of Understanding (MoUs) during the Pak-China Business-to-Business Conference, the implementation of which the BOI is now actively pursuing.
Highlighting the nation’s untapped potential, Sheikh detailed Pakistan”s rich endowment of mineral resources, which include significant deposits of copper, gold, coal, and rare earth elements, among other strategic minerals.
He asserted that the government is undertaking concrete measures to boost mineral exploration, promote value addition, and ensure maximum economic benefit through responsible development. These initiatives include improving the Ease of Doing Business, streamlining approval mechanisms, and offering incentives through Special Economic Zones (SEZs) to provide maximum facilitation to investors.
Regulatory reforms are also in progress to further improve the investment climate and create a more conducive environment for foreign entities in Pakistan, the minister added.
The event drew a high-profile audience, including the Ambassador of the People’s Republic of China to Pakistan, Jiang Zaidong; Federal Minister for Planning, Development and Special Initiatives, Ahsan Iqbal; and Federal Minister Ali Pervaiz, alongside senior officials and stakeholders from Chinese and Pakistani companies.
In his concluding remarks, Sheikh reaffirmed the BOI”s full commitment to promoting and facilitating foreign investment, particularly from China, to achieve long-term economic development and shared prosperity.