The Vice President of China Mr. Wang Qishan was accorded a red-carpet welcome when he arrived at Haier Industrial Park in a landmark visit to the sprawling facility that is widely seen as a shining example of Pak China economic cooperation. The Vice President was accompanied by the Chief Minster, Punjab Mr. Usman Buzdar, the Punjab Minister for Commerce, Industry & Investment, Mian Muhammad Aslam Iqbal and other senior government officials.
The distinguished visitor was received by top ranking officials of Haier China who had earlier arrived in Pakistan to oversee arrangements for according the Vice President a most memorable welcome. Also, on hand to receive the distinguished visitor was Executive President and Vice Chairman of the Board of Directors Haier Group, Mr. Liang Haishan, V.P. Global Appliances Haier Group, CEO of SEA & SA Mr. Song Yujun, General Manager Haier Pakistan Mr. Li Dapeng, CEO Haier & Ruba Manufacturing (HNR) Mr. Javed Afridi & Chairman JW SEZ Group Mr. Shah Faisal Afridi.
This is the fourth time for a high ranking and most distinguished visitor to tour Haier Industrial Park. Previously Prime Minister Wen Jiabao in 2005, President Hu Jintao in 2006 and Prime Minister Imran Khan in May 2019 have visited Haier Industrial Park which has since been hailed as the most successful model of industrial and economic cooperation between Chinese companies and Pakistani entrepreneurs. The Vice President was conducted on a tour of the factory by Haier’s top brass.
The Haier Industrial Park is a sprawling facility in Lahore with a 1.6-million unit per annum designed capacity to manufacture, assemble and produce high end home appliances and electronics. These include refrigerators, deep freezers, air conditioners, fully automatic and semi-automatic washing machines and LED TVs.
The Haier Industrial Park and degree of success it has achieved has brought many benefits for both countries. For Pakistan, Haier Industrial Park has created jobs for several thousand professional, skilled and non-skilled workers, has given the country a high-quality manufacturing base for home appliances and consumer electronics with future export potential, and most importantly given Pakistan access to R&D and technology transfer. Chinese home appliances and consumer electronics have found ready acceptance in Pakistan with Pakistani consumers voting with their money to make Haier the #1 brand in Pakistan. This is in line with Haier’s leadership position in the global market which Haier dominates with a 10.5% share in terms of volume sales.
Mr. Wang Qishan’s visit to Pakistan, seen as part of the increased high-level contacts between the two countries, will further deepen Pak China economic ties.