Islamabad witnessed a landmark moment in agricultural collaboration between Pakistan and China as Ambassador Jiang Zaidong underscored the nations’ shared commitment to prioritizing farming modernization. Speaking at the distribution ceremony of the Chinese Agricultural Equipment and Tools Project at the National Agricultural Research Centre (NARC), Jiang highlighted China’s provision of 278 advanced agricultural machines and systems valued at 30 million yuan (approximately 1.16 billion Pakistani rupees). The donation, comprising tractors, seeders, combine harvesters, and photovoltaic water pump systems, marks the largest agricultural aid initiative from China to Pakistan in recent years.
“Pakistan and China, as traditional agricultural powerhouses, hold immense potential for mutual growth,” stated Ambassador Jiang. He emphasized Pakistan’s agricultural significance, noting its 30.5 million hectares of farmland (40% of its territory), rural population of three-fifths, and agricultural contributions to GDP (25%), exports (20%), and employment (40%). Pakistan ranks among the top global producers of sugarcane, cotton, wheat, and rice, alongside its status as the fourth-largest leather exporter and fifth-largest milk producer.
Federal Minister for Food and Agriculture Rana Tanveer Hussain echoed these sentiments, lauding the bilateral cooperation. “This equipment will revolutionize Pakistan’s agricultural productivity,” he remarked. Ambassador Jiang further outlined four pillars of deepening collaboration: strengthened institutional mechanisms, expanded trade ties, intensified personnel exchanges, and consolidated industrial projects under the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC).
The recently established China-Pakistan Agricultural Joint Working Group convened its fourth meeting in Beijing last week, paving the way for new agreements. Bilateral agricultural trade has surpassed $1 billion annually, with Pakistan maintaining a surplus. In Q1 2024, trade rose 21.4% year-on-year to $228 million, driven by recent exports of heat-treated beef, fresh cherries, and high-value buffalo dairy products to China.
Ambassador Jiang also highlighted capacity-building efforts, including the dispatch of 300 Pakistani agricultural professionals to Yangling, Shaanxi Province, for training. He announced plans for a High-Quality Development Forum on China-Pakistan Agricultural Cooperation in June to further align strategies.
Amidst global economic headwinds, Jiang criticized unilateral trade measures, stating, “The U.S.’s arbitrary tariff impositions on over 180 nations undermine multilateral systems and global stability.” He referenced IMF projections lowering 2025 global growth to 2.8% but underscored China’s resilience, citing a 5.4% GDP rise in Q1 2024 and a 6.9% surge in foreign trade.
China’s advocacy for equitable trade was reinforced during an informal UN Security Council meeting last week, where over 80 nations, including Pakistan, condemned protectionism. Ambassador Jiang quoted President Xi Jinping: “A single small boat may not survive a ferocious storm; only by working together can we sail steady and far.”
As strategic partners in the Global South, Jiang urged continued Sino-Pakistani solidarity to counter protectionism and uphold WTO-centric multilateralism. “Through openness and unity, we will resist decoupling and bullying, fostering a multipolar world grounded in fairness,” he concluded.
The event concluded with a nod to a Chinese proverb: “To do a good job, one must first sharpen his tools,” symbolizing China’s hope that Pakistan leverages the donated equipment to accelerate agricultural modernization and food security.