The Pak-China Border Trade Zone in Tashkurgan has reached a new agreement with traders from Gilgit-Baltistan (GB) to enhance Chinese investment and expand exports from northern Pakistan to China. Raja Mir Nawaz Mir, President of the Ghizer Chamber of Commerce and Industry, confirmed the development in an interview with Gwadar Pro.
In April, a delegation comprising traders from 10 districts of GB visited the Tashkurgan Border Trade Zone for six days. The visit was followed by a return trip from Chinese investors, led by Border Trade Zone Chairman Chen Hao, to the Hunza Chamber of Commerce and Industry. These bilateral visits led to the signing of multiple Memorandums of Understanding (MoUs), including one that seeks to facilitate smoother Chinese investment through cooperation between GB traders and the Border Trade Zone authorities.
Raja explained that under this arrangement, local investors from GB and elsewhere in Pakistan will identify feasible joint venture projects, for which the Border Trade Zone will help secure Chinese investment. Land and related infrastructure will be made available on the Pakistani side, while the Chinese side will facilitate investor engagement and project coordination.
“The Tashkurgan Border Trade Zone has identified a pool of 50,000 Chinese investors ready to invest in GB,” Raja stated. He noted that this effort is part of a larger initiative by the Chinese government to uplift border regions along the China-Pakistan corridor. Pakistani investors will be required to obtain guarantees from GB-based chambers of commerce, while the Chinese side will offer investment assurances to their stakeholders. Joint ventures formed under this agreement will also allow for shared equity held by GB traders.
As part of the agreement, GB traders have been granted a dedicated section within the Border Trade Zone, which includes a corporate office, display center, and residential accommodation. This model is already being used by 18 other countries participating in the trade zone and is expected to significantly boost GB’s export capabilities.
Raja also revealed that Hunza-based traders signed MoUs with Chinese partners for projects including a 300-kanal agricultural technology park, an oxygen gas plant, and a building material manufacturing facility. These agreements, he said, signal the start of a transformative development phase for the GB region through strengthened trade and investment ties with China.
