PRGMEA, CCCT ink MoU to expand apparel trade

LAHORE, March 28: Pakistan Readymade Garments Manufacturers & Exporters Association (PRGMEA) and China Chamber of Commerce for Import and Export of Textile and Apparel (CCCT) have inked a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to promote and expand cooperation between Pakistan and Chinese textile and apparel companies.
The MoU signing ceremony was held during China Asia Textile Forum 2016 at Shanghai. PRGMEA chief coordinator Ijaz Khokhar inked the MoU on behalf of Pakistan Readymade Garments Manufacturers & Exporters Association while China Chamber of Commerce for Import and Export of Textile and Apparel was represented by its chairman Jiang Hui.
Ijaz Khokhar, who was the guest speaker from Pakistan side, also made presentation on Pakistan’ textile and apparel sector in China Asia Textile Forum. The forum was attended by major apparel associations and many leading Chinese garment companies from the whole Asia.
It is the first time that a Pakistani garment sector body signed such an agreement with the overseas stakeholders for strengthening mutual trade of garment and textile.
As per the MoU, PRGMEA will provide visa assistance to Chinese companies through invitation letters. In first phase, CCCT delegation is visiting Pakistan to attend Texpo Fair being held first time in Pakistan from April 7 to 10. PRGMEA will arrange factory visits for Chinese delegation, and B2B meetings with its members.
PRGMEA also plans to arrange a trade delegation to visit China by the end of this year.
It is expected that Chinese companies will establish their units at CPEC Economic zones through joint ventures of the local companies, with PRGMEA playing leading role after striking this deal with CCCT. In his presentation, PRGMEA chief coordinator Ijaz Khokhar, highlighted the overall situation and development trend of Pakistan’s garment sector and textile industry. He said that CCCT as part of the Ministry of Commerce is the largest textile and apparel trade agency both in China and the world. CCCT member companies, totaling more than 12,000 and operating in 34 provinces across the country, engage in the production and export and import of textile fibers, yarns, fabrics, clothing, home textiles, industrial textiles and accessories. Its member companies comprise the majority of Chinese textile and apparel enterprises incorporating export and import enterprises, the trade volume of which accounts for 70% of the total export and import volume of Chinese textile and apparel industry as a whole.
The PRGMEA chief coordinator said that China is well positioned to take advantage of Pakistan’s economic potential and its geo-strategic location. “Let us make trade and investment, the central pillar of this cooperation.”-Online