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Trade is a very ancient profession in China. The history is evident
that over the centuries, China remained the world's most popular
trading partner. The modern China, of course is without any iota of
doubt, world's strongest market. Capturing almost 70 percent of the
world trade, China is expanding its import and export avenues and
exploring new potentials for enhancing trade activities in different
parts of the country. Xinjiang Autonomous Region is yet another
region of China, having a great potential for trade. Located at the
strategically important geographical point, Xinjiang's Kashgar and
Urumqi regions are emerging as highly important trade centers.
Kashgar in particular has become a gateway for trade with China for
the businessmen of the entire region, particularly for those,
belonging to Pakistan, Central Asia, Afghanistan and India. To
elaborate the potential, Chinese government has started holding an
annual regional trade fair at Kashgar and Perfectural Administration
of Kashgar is making all out efforts to make it a mega trade event
in the region.
This year, the 3rd Kashgar Trade Festival was held from June 27th to
July 3rd. Apart from Pakistan, Afghanistan and almost all the states
of Central Asia made comprehensive participation in it. Though
Pakistan's participation was highly unimpressive and rather
pathetic, just like it was made during the 1st and the 2nd Kashgar
Trade Fair, yet the Kashgar Perfectural Administration and the
Chinese government made all possible efforts to hold the event in
the most befitting manner. Mr. Akbar Gupur, Commissioner of
Perfectural Administration of Kashgar must be commended for making
highly remarkable efforts and arrangements for the amicable and
amazing holding of the event. The way the event was held, one can
easily say that in a coming few years, this Kashgar Trade Fair is
poised to become the biggest and the most popular trade event of the
entire region. The event where provided the traders and governments
of the regional countries as well as Chinese entrepreneurs to
introduce their exportable products to the larger regional and
international markets, there it also provided a wonderful
opportunity to the officials and manufacturers of different regional
countries to meet with each other and to explore new avenues for
enhancing bilateral trade and for the promotion of their products in
each other's markets. Kashgar Trade Fair also provides an
opportunity for the cultural and social exchange amongst the
regional countries and in future, it appears, the participating
countries would also be exploring this avenue with added interest.
At the Fair, where different stalls of the participants were
promoting the products of different countries, there colorful and
mouthwatering food stalls of different participating nations and
their other social and cultural activities created a spectacular
atmosphere for a comprehensive social and cultural exchange. The
organizers had made highly appreciable arrangements for the
participants as ample spaces for setting up stalls were allocated,
free of cost, to the participants while a remarkable discipline and
security was maintained, coupled with all the required facilities.
However, the only area where the hosts lacked was the availability
of facilities for the foreign media, invited to cover the event. It
is hoped that as the event will progress, in the coming years, the
hosts, for sure, would care for establishing a fully equipped media
center during the event.
The Kashgar authorities though extended a tremendous hospitality and
made all out efforts or the comfert of the invited media persons.
However there was again a lack of availability of professional
facilities and journalists faced a lot of troubles in transmiting
the news related to the coverage of the festival, back to the head
offices in their home countries. The Daily Mail suggested to the
Kashgar authrities for establishing an appropriate professional
media center at the exhibition venue in future so that a timely and
befitting coverage of the exhibition could be ensured. The Daily
Mail's proposal was very much welcomed by Kashgar authorities and
they promissed to establsih a state-of-the-art media center in
future. The also sought the input and assistance of of The Daily
mail in this regard.
For Pakistan's future participation in the Kashgar trade Fair, it is
highly recommended that an appropriate policy and strategy should be
put in place. It is recommended that a committee comprising members
of Chambers of Commerce and Industry from all industrial zones,
representatives of commerce ministry, representatives of Exports
Promotion Bureau and officials from Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
This committee should give the NOC to genuine exporters, after going
through the details of what they are going to display at the
exhibition and what is their potential and then the Chinese embassy
should be requested to give visas and invitations, only to the said
NOC holders. If it is not done, Pakistan would continue to utilized
this wonderful opportunity to enhance its exports to China and other
regional markets. |
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