In the first five months of 2023, Pakistan’s copper products exports to China have crossed $485 million, according to Pakistani official sources. This noteworthy trade between the two nations highlights the growing demand for copper products in China and Pakistan’s ability to meet this demand.
Speaking to Gwadar Pro, the trade and investment counsellor of the Pakistani Embassy in Beijing, Ghulam Qadir, said that the Pakistani government is eager to increase exports of copper and related products to China. He added that copper exports to China have increased in recent years and he hopes that refined products of copper will increase the value of exports from Pakistan to China.
He added that one of the biggest players in China’s copper industry, Metallurgical Corporation of China (MCC), operates in Pakistan and plays a very important role in the development of Saindak copper mines since 1995.
“From January to May 2023, refined copper products in raw form, community code (74031900) generated $201.098 million in sales, compared to $244.62 million last year during the same period,” he said. Similarly, unrefined copper, copper anodes for electrolytic refining, community code (74020000) reached $167.21 million from January to May 2023, while it was $134.32 million in the same period in 2022,” Pakistani sources said.
Muhammad Imran, an international trade expert, told Gwadar Pro that increasing economic ties between the two countries further underscore their commitment to promoting mutually beneficial trade relations.
“Pakistan needs technology because mining and processing copper requires cutting-edge technology and expertise that Chinese companies have, and we need these things to improve our capabilities and export to the world,” he added.
He added that China was promoting imports from Pakistan and offering a preferential tariff rate of zero percent. Similarly, he said, Pakistan with large copper reserves can take advantage of mining these reserves with the help of Chinese expertise.