*BEIJING – The Chinese government has granted the status of “Guest ofHonor” to Pakistan at the China International Import Expo (CIIE) to be heldfrom November 5 to 10.*

This will ensure the provision of all possible facilities and benefits tothe Pakistani pavilion. The gesture also shows the level of commitment inChina to make Pakistan part of a shared future,

according to an article published by Global Times here on Monday.

The expo offers a chance for global manufacturers and producers to showcasetheir products in order to gain access to China’s market.

The expo is also an opening for countries participating in the Belt andRoad (B&R) initiative to boost their infrastructure upgrading and reachwider markets.

Pakistan is one such country, which is undergoing massive infrastructuredevelopment to align itself with global transportation and communicationnetworks. The China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) will create anadvanced network of roads, railways and a deep-sea port that will boosttrade with China, Central Asia and Europe.

China’s demand for imported food has been growing steadily, creating amarket worth $58.28 billion last year, a 25 percent increase year-on-year.

Pakistan, on the other hand, has a largely agrarian economy. With the helpof Chinese scientists, local agriculture specialists have successfullyintroduced modern farming techniques.

Hybrid rice and hybrid wheat have been the most successful products, seeinga marked increase in yield.