Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif has said Pakistan and China are seeking to take their longstanding friendship into a new era of data, technology and innovation, while inviting Chinese investors to explore opportunities in Punjab.
Speaking at the International Big Data Expo in Beijing, she described the Pakistan-China relationship as time-tested and based on mutual respect, and invited Chinese investors to explore opportunities in Punjab.
Maryam Nawaz said the provincial government was taking steps to promote digital transformation and develop Punjab into a hub for modern technology and the digital economy.
She said Punjab’s youth were being equipped with modern technological education and skills, adding that the digital revolution was reshaping economies and had significant potential to generate new employment opportunities.
Artificial intelligence and big data, she said, would play an important role in future development. The provincial government was already using AI in areas including education, healthcare, agriculture and governance.
The chief minister said China’s rapid progress in the digital sector offered useful lessons for Pakistan. She described developments in digital technology in Guizhou as particularly impressive and said Pakistan would seek to expand cooperation with China in technology and digital fields.
Earlier, CM Punjab met He Zhongyou, the Communist Party secretary in Beijing, where the two sides discussed matters of mutual interest and ways to strengthen bilateral cooperation.
She said Punjab offered substantial investment opportunities in technology, digital economy, artificial intelligence and agriculture. The province, she added, was undergoing major changes in the agricultural sector and continued to serve as a major food-producing region for the country.
Maryam Nawaz urged Chinese investors to benefit from the opportunities available in Punjab and contribute to the province’s technology and agricultural transformation.
