A view of the Karakoram Highway, the land route linking Pakistan with China Photo: VCG

During the 8th China-South Asia Expo, held from Tuesday to Sunday, Pakistan stood out as a featured country. The event drew a significant number of Pakistani buyers and sellers, eager to explore new trade opportunities and seek new collaborative ventures in China.

The Pakistani export delegation showcased a diverse array of products across 140 booths and a themed exhibition area covering 360 square meters, highlighting sectors such as agriculture and handicrafts. More than 70 professional buyers and importers registered for the expo, showing a keen interest in Chinese high-tech products in the areas of electronics, information technology, clean energy, new materials and artificial intelligence (AI).

"My main focus during the expo will be on Chinese computer equipment. I'm here to seek technological partnerships that will allow us to bring advanced technology back to Pakistan," Masqood Qureshi, a Pakistani buyer, told the Global Times on Thursday.

The expo was a bustling hub of activity with traders coming from South and Southeast Asia, with particular interest in Chinese high-tech products. From AI models and new-energy solutions to unmanned coffee kiosks and traditional Chinese medicine, the wide range of products drew approval from international buyers.

Drones from DJI and bionic robots from EXrobots were among the highlights, attracting intense interest from foreign buyers. Moreover, industry leaders like Yuntianhua Group, State Power Investment Corp and China Resources Holding Co were also present at the expo to seek collaboration.

The convenient transportation between China and Pakistan was also praised, as such services can promote China-Pakistan trade. "With the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor, trading goods between China and Pakistan no longer means they need to be shipped via the Strait of Malacca but can be transported overland. This has greatly reduced the transportation time and costs, facilitating bilateral trade," Qureshi noted.

Meanwhile, the vibrant trade scene at the expo also countered some Western media criticisms of China's "overcapacity" in new-energy products.

"China has already started collaborating with Pakistan in the new-energy sector, but we are hoping to expand further in this area," another Pakistani buyer told the Global Times.

"I am looking forward to purchasing new-energy technology products at the China-South Asia Expo," Pakistani businessman Anique Mansab Chaudhry told the Xinhua News Agency. He emphasized that his main goal at the expo was to acquire photovoltaic modules, inverters and high-efficiency energy storage batteries to enhance his company's efficiency and customer satisfaction.

Officials and business representatives from other countries also expressed their desire for further cooperation with China, especially in emerging sectors. 

"China and Nigeria have already started many collaborative efforts in the new-energy sector, but we hope for more Chinese investment in Nigeria, especially in areas like batteries, solar energy, wind turbines and natural gas," Hassan Mohammed, a deputy trade commissioner of the Nigerian consulate in Shanghai, told the Global Times.