Kyrgyzstan's Growing Enthusiasm for the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor

Kyrgyzstan has opened its doors to Pakistani businesses, offering access to a vast market of more than 180 million consumers. This enticing proposition was presented by Kyrgyz Ambassador Erik Beishembiev during a meeting at the Lahore Chamber of Commerce & Industry (LCCI). The event also featured speeches from LCCI President Irfan Iqbal Sheikh, Senior Vice President Ali Hussam Asghar, and Vice President Mian Zahid Jawaid Ahmad, with the presence of LCCI Executive Committee Members Haji Asif Sehar, Shahzad Aslam, Haris Attiq, and Malik Muhammad Khalid.

Ambassador Beishembiev emphasized the deep-rooted historical and cultural ties between Kyrgyzstan and Pakistan, spanning centuries. These connections have evolved into robust political relations, marked by high-level visits and exchanges. Both nations boast abundant mineral resources and skilled human capital, making them fertile ground for industrial and agricultural development and foreign investment collaboration, including exports.

One of Kyrgyzstan's key interests is the creation of efficient transportation links that connect Central Asia, China, and Pakistan, granting access to the Gwadar and Karachi ports. These links, established through railway and road infrastructure within the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) framework, are vital for regional trade. Notably, the shortest routes from China to Kyrgyzstan traverse Kyrgyz border posts, Torugart in the North and Erkeshtam in the South, with the latter offering the quickest path from the Fergana Valley to China.

President Irfan Iqbal Sheikh acknowledged the friendly relations between Pakistan and Kyrgyzstan but stressed that trade between the two nations remained modest. He highlighted the limited variety of goods exchanged, primarily consisting of Pakistani pharmaceutical exports and Kyrgyzstan's imports of trailers and semi-trailers. President Sheikh attributed these shortcomings to mutual unfamiliarity with each other's markets and a lack of established banking channels.

Senior Vice President Ali Hussam Asghar and Vice President Mian Zahid Jawaid Ahmad proposed initiatives such as reciprocal single-country exhibitions, trade delegation exchanges, and country-themed promotional weeks as strategies to unlock untapped trade potential between the two nations.

Towards the end of the meeting, Ambassador Beishembiev and LCCI officials toured various departments, commending the chamber's efficient operations and particularly praising the one-window service for LCCI members.