LAHORE : Minister for Industries and Commerce Chaudhry Shafay Hussain and Chinese Consul General Sun Yan on Saturday inaugurated the 19th International Agri Asia Exhibition and Conference 2026 at the Expo Centre, highlighting growing cooperation between Pakistan and China in modern agriculture and industrial investment.
The three-day exhibition has been jointly organised by the Punjab Department of Industries and Commerce and the Hunan Chamber of Commerce and Industry. Representatives from Chinese companies, business leaders and senior officials attended the opening ceremony.
An agreement on cooperation in agricultural machinery was also signed between the Hunan Chamber of Commerce and E-Commerce Gateway Pakistan during the event.
Following the inauguration, the minister visited exhibition stalls and reviewed modern agricultural machinery and technology displayed by local and international exhibitors. Addressing the ceremony, Chaudhry Shafay Hussain described agriculture as the backbone of Pakistan’s economy and stressed the importance of adopting modern farming methods to improve productivity and strengthen food security.
‘Modern agriculture is the future of Pakistan,’ he said, adding that Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif had introduced several initiatives to support farmers and modernise the sector.
The minister said Punjab had launched Kissan Cards and Livestock Cards for the first time, enabling farmers to access financial support for agricultural inputs and livestock-related needs. He added that land was also being provided to farmers on lease, while veterinary clinics had been activated across districts and tehsils to strengthen livestock services.
He said the provincial government was also focusing on the development of quality seeds and measures to boost cotton production. Highlighting cooperation with China, Chaudhry Shafay Hussain said Chinese technology and expertise would play a key role in promoting mechanised and technology-driven agriculture in Punjab.
He invited Chinese investors to establish agricultural equipment manufacturing plants in Punjab’s Special Economic Zones, assuring them of full government support and incentives. ‘Special incentives are being offered for investment in Special Economic Zones, while Business Facilitation Centres are issuing NOCs within 30 days,’ he said.
The minister noted that several international companies had already established assembly plants in Punjab, while work on new manufacturing projects was underway in different industrial zones.
He said manufacturing of Vivo mobile phones would soon begin in Faisalabad, while construction of 10 factories was in progress at Quaid-e-Azam Business Park in Sheikhupura.
According to the minister, the government is also working on the development of the Metal Processing Zone in Gujranwala and collaborating with Huawei Group on projects related to modern agriculture and drone technology.
He added that authorities had taken steps to discourage speculative property business in industrial estates and were instead prioritising the establishment of manufacturing facilities to generate employment opportunities.
Chinese Consul General Sun Yan said economic cooperation between Pakistan and China continued to deepen under the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), which had strengthened bilateral friendship and investment ties.
He reaffirmed China’s commitment to supporting Punjab in promoting agricultural machinery, technology transfer and modern farming practices.
Earlier, the provincial minister also visited the Pakistan-China Electronic Fair at a local hotel, where he met representatives of Chinese and Pakistani businesses and inspected exhibition stalls.
