Business Archives - Page 4 of 20 - COVERT

Italy seeks enhanced collaboration with Pakistan in textile, agriculture, machinery

Celina Ali Islamabad: Italy’s Ambassador to Pakistan, Marilina Armellin, this week emphasized the potential for enhanced cooperation between Italy and Pakistan, particularly in the textile, machinery, agriculture, and dairy sectors, during a meeting with Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb. The Finance Minister welcomed the Italian Ambassador and highlighted the significant improvements in Pakistan’s economic landscape. He […]

June 2, 2024June 2, 2024 by Covert

Balance welfare and work key to competitiveness

Ding Gang A recent editorial in the Financial Times, titled “Time to get Europe back to work” highlights a daunting challenge the European economy faces: an increasing number of individuals opting to “lie flat.” This issue, however, is not unique to Europe; it is a common ailment of post-industrial societies. Even China, amid the transition […]

June 2, 2024June 2, 2024 by Covert

10 Pakistani firms take part in SIAL Canada int’l food show

Ottawa: As the three-day SIAL Canada 2024 exhibition opened in Montreal this week, 10 Pakistani firms with over 20 participants are participating in the leading international food show showcasing the country’s rice, fruit, pink salt and food industry. SIAL Canada 2024 is the largest food exhibition which is the only event of its kind in […]

May 26, 2024May 26, 2024 by Covert

Pakistani fishing industry immensely attractive to Chinese investors: PCJCCI

Gwadar Pro Islamabad: President of Pakistan China Joint Chamber of Commerce and Industry (PCJCCI), Moazzam Ghurki has stated that the Pakistani fishing industry is immensely attractive to Chinese investors. China has a huge consumer market for aquatic products and is one of the largest buyers in Pakistan. The main aquatic categories of Pakistan’s exports to […]

May 19, 2024May 19, 2024 by Covert

Pakistan to take CPEC Phase II with full commitment and momentum: Ahsan Iqbal

Wang Xiaotong – China Economic Net Beijing: Pakistan’s Federal Minister for Planning, Development, and Special Initiatives, Ahsan Iqbal was on a three-day visit in Beijing last week. During the media interaction held in the Pakistani Embassy in China, he revealed that they are working with the Chinese counterparts to define parameters of China-Pakistan Economic Corridor […]

May 19, 2024May 19, 2024 by Covert

Despite GSP+ status, Pakistan exports to EU decline

Celina Ali Islamabad: Pakistan’s exports to European Union underwent a discernible downturn, marking a decline of 6.27 percent during the initial nine months of the ongoing fiscal year. Despite the coveted GSP+ status, which affords most Pakistani exports duty-free access to European markets, the allure of European destinations seemed to wane. The European Parliament’s unanimous […]

May 19, 2024May 19, 2024 by Covert

Even higher tariffs cannot protect the US automotive industry

Global Times According to multiple Western media outlets citing a “person familiar with the plan,” the US government is expected to announce as early as May 14 that it will increase the tariff on Chinese electric vehicles (EVs) from the current 25 percent to 100 percent, and impose new tariffs on other Chinese goods including […]

May 19, 2024May 19, 2024 by Covert

Europe’s biggest smart city rises in Greece

Newswire Athens: On the southern coastline of Greece’s capital, a long-awaited plan to transform the city’s former airport into the largest smart city in Europe is finally gaining momentum. After a decade of delays, a vision of the Ellinikon is emerging. The Marina Tower, soon to be Greece’s first skyscraper, is beginning to rise. Iron […]

May 12, 2024May 12, 2024 by Covert

EU Policy: Italy to challenge Nutri-Score with constitution

Rome: Giorgia Meloni’s party is proposing a tweak in the country’s constitution that would complicate adoption of the colour-coded front-of-packet labelling in Italy – and Europe. The Italian government is proposing an amendment to its constitution that would stymie introduction of the EU-backed Nutri-Score system in the mediterranean state, Euronews reported. Italy has long been […]

May 12, 2024May 12, 2024 by Covert

USD 25 billion Chinese investment in Pakistan brought prosperity: CPEC preparatory meeting

Gwadar Pro Islamabad: Pakistan this week acknowledged that an influx of approximately USD 25 billion of Chinese investment under the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) between 2013 and 2018 put several Pakistani sectors on the highway of prosperity. The observation was made during a high-level meeting here chaired by Planning Minister Ahsan Iqbal. The event served […]

May 4, 2024May 4, 2024 by Covert

Ambassador Marilina Armellin appreciates pace and output of Olive Culture Project in Pakistan

Celina Ali Islamabad: Ambassador of Italy Marilina Armellin has expressed her appreciation at the pace and output of Olive Culture Project with the close cooperation of the Ministry of National Food Security and Research. She expressed these views at the recent Steering Committee meeting for the “Olive Culture – Holistic and Multi Professional Mechanism for […]

May 4, 2024May 4, 2024 by Covert

20th anniversary of the 2004 EU enlargement: The birth of a new era

Celina Ali On 24 April, EU and Member States representatives, and young people who were born in 2004, celebrated 20 years of EU enlargement. President von der Leyen highlighted the many benefits that EU membership brought to the then-new Member States, while also underlining the many advantages that the Union itself drew from this enlargement. […]

May 4, 2024May 4, 2024 by Covert

Hyping ‘overcapacity’ in China is the real threat to world

Global Times US Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen recently reiterated in an interview the “overcapacity” in China, claiming that the so-called overcapacity in China is not only a problem faced by the US, but also by Europe, Japan, India and Mexico. This kind of rhetoric has been popular in the US for some time, with American […]

May 4, 2024May 4, 2024 by Covert

Can AI help solve Japan’s labour shortages?

Mariko Oi Tokyo: In a country that is known to be obsessed with perfection, damaged or misshapen vegetables and fruits are hard to sell. And if you are a specialist maker of Japanese dumplings, like the brand Osaka Ohsho, then selling a packet of gyoza with some damaged is a big no-no. But as demand […]

April 28, 2024April 28, 2024 by Covert

Chinese modernization more than Shanghai’s impressive skyscrapers, dazzling nightscapes

Ding Gang Strolling along the banks of the Suzhou River in Shanghai, I felt the city’s pulse. It had been over a decade since my last visit here. The recently popular TV drama Blossoms Shanghai has reminded the Chinese people of the era during which China rose rapidly, depicting how ordinary Chinese people made their […]

April 28, 2024April 28, 2024 by Covert

China’s pivotal role in replicating highly successful experience of hybrid rice in Pakistan highlighted

Gwadar Pro Lahore: Pakistan Hitech Hybrid Seed Association (PHHSA) Chairman Shahzad Ali Malik this week highlighted China’s pivotal role in replicating the decades-long highly successful experience of hybrid rice in Pakistan. He emphasized the immense potential of hybrid seeds in achieving import substitution and fostering surplus production for export in various crops, including cotton, wheat, […]

April 20, 2024April 20, 2024 by Covert

Oversupply? Market, not Washington, has the answer

Ding Gang What is overproduction? Who should determine the surplus of a commodity on the international market? As US Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen has left Beijing, she leaves behind the above two questions that linger in the future of the two country’s trade relations and pose a significant challenge to the order of the international […]

April 20, 2024April 20, 2024 by Covert

US should not politicize trade issues, Premier Li tells Yellen

Wang Cong and Chi Jingyi Beining: Chinese Premier Li Qiang this week met with US Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen in Beijing, where he urged the US to work with China to adhere to the basic norms of the market economy of fair competition and open cooperation, and refrain from politicizing or overstretching the concept of […]

April 14, 2024April 14, 2024 by Covert

Pakistan’s export of goods and services to China up by 42.02% in eight months

Gwadar Pro Islamabad: Pakistan’s export of goods and services to China witnessed an increase of 42.02% during the first eight months of the current fiscal year (2023-24) as compared to the exports of the corresponding period of last year, State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) announced on Tuesday afternoon. The overall exports to China were recorded […]

April 14, 2024April 14, 2024 by Covert

Zong, Zindigi join hands to elevate digital financial services in Pakistan

Gwadar Pro Islamabad: In a significant move towards financial digitization in Pakistan, Zindigi, powered by JS Bank, has entered a strategic partnership with Zong, the China-based leading telecommunications provider in Pakistan. This collaboration aims to provide seamless and innovative digital financial solutions, reinforcing the shared vision of both entities to drive financial inclusivity and digital […]

April 14, 2024April 14, 2024 by Covert

EU ends antitrust probe into fashion designers

Newswire Brussels: The European Union’s antitrust regulators have announced the termination of a two-year-long investigation into a group of fashion designers, citing “priority reasons,” the European Commission revealed this week. The competition watchdog had initiated the investigation in May 2022, conducting raids on several fashion companies amid concerns of potential participation in a cartel to […]

April 14, 2024April 14, 2024 by Covert

Italy sees debt ‘surely’ staying below 140% of GDP this year

Newswire Rome: Italy’s government expects debt this year to “surely” stay below 140% of gross domestic product. Speaking to reporters on the sidelines of the Ambrosetti Workshop in Cernobbio, Italy, Finance Ministry undersecretary Federico Freni said the country’s expected growth will be “around 1%” in 2024. Last Friday, the Bank of Italy said the country’s […]

April 14, 2024April 14, 2024 by Covert

France eyes Swiss money for new nuclear power plants

Paris: Power from the French plants will be exported to neighbouring countries, so France believes those countries should help pay help pay for their construction. According to NZZ am Sonntag, this idea was mooted by French foreign ministry officials during a press briefing with European journalists at the end of March. “France considers it opportune […]

April 14, 2024April 14, 2024 by Covert

Building a promising future for Portugal

Paulo Lopes Lisbon: Normally I don’t dare to write about politics, but as I look to the future of my country it is up to me to give myself some impetus, to show what I think should be one of the main goals and challenges of the new rulers. Because as we look to Portugal’s […]

April 7, 2024April 7, 2024 by Covert

Punjab CM orders policy formulation to export buffalo meat, milk to China

Gwadar Pro Lahore: Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz this week ordered policy formulation to export buffalo meat and milk to China. In a meeting on the Livestock Department, the CM reviewed the livestock related measures. The CM stressed that only vaccinated and tagged cattle would be brought to cattle markets and slaughterhouses, adding that authentic […]

April 7, 2024April 7, 2024 by Covert

Huawei launches new solar product in Lahore

Lahore: Punjab Provincial Minister of Industry and Commerce Chaudhry Shafay Hussain visited Raya Golf and Country Club Defence this week and attended the launching ceremony of a new solar product by the Chinese company Huawei as a special guest. Alongside officials from the Chinese company, the provincial minister jointly launched the new solar product. The […]

April 7, 2024April 7, 2024 by Covert

CCP to sign MoU on China’s SAMR

Newswire Islamabad: The Competition Commission of Pakistan (CCP) is preparing to put in place a comprehensive legal and regulatory framework, said an official announcement. The CCP said China had made significant investments in Pakistan through the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) and various Chinese companies operating in the country. “This investment is expected to increase manifold […]

April 7, 2024April 7, 2024 by Covert

Inflation lower in Italy than rest of Europe

Rome: Italy’s inflation rate rose to 1.3% in March compared to a year ago, albeit at a slower pace than anticipated. There’s perhaps no better example of a ‘soft landing’ than the current state of the Italian economy. While Italy’s economic activity has significantly decelerated from the elevated post-pandemic growth rates observed in 2021 and […]

April 7, 2024April 7, 2024 by Covert

Ambassador Baloch highlights trade, investment opportunities in Pakistan’s textile sector

Brussels: Ambassador of Pakistan to European Union, Belgium and Luxembourg Amna Baloch this week said that there were numerous trade and investment opportunities available to foreign firms in Pakistan’s multiple sectors. The ambassador, addressing a webinar on opportunities in Pakistan’s textile sector, emphasized the government’s commitment to facilitating them through the Special Investment Facilitation Council […]

April 7, 2024April 7, 2024 by Covert

France warns of strong-arm industry to boost missile output

Rudy Ruitenberg ParisL: The French government this week threatened local defense firms with measures including requisitioning and order prioritization to accelerate the production of missiles and artillery shells. Armed Forces Minister Sébastien Lecornu said he may force firms to put defense orders before civilian ones in coming weeks if manufacturing doesn’t speed up, especially for […]

April 7, 2024April 7, 2024 by Covert

European enterprises eye investment opportunities in China

China Economic Net Wuhan: The 2024 Cherry Blossom Viewing: Business Cooperation & Fortune Global 500 with Hubei, a talk platform, held a series of activities this week in Wuhan, central China’s Hubei Province, with an eye on international cooperation between European enterprises and Hubei. More than 600 attendees, including diplomatic envoys, representatives of domestic and […]

March 31, 2024March 31, 2024 by Covert

Pakistan exports to EU states fall despite GSP+ status

Newswire Islamabad: Pakistan’s exports to European countries have begun to dip in the current fiscal year despite a GSP+ status that allows duty-free entrance into European markets for the majority of its products. In absolute terms, Pakistan’s exports to European countries dipped year-on-year by 6.89 per cent in the first eight months of the current […]

March 31, 2024March 31, 2024 by Covert

Pakistan and China share a long and storied friendship: Umar Rehman Malik

Abdullah Jan Islamabad: Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) leader Umar Rehman Malik said this week that Pakistan and China share a long and storied friendship. “The PPP starting with #SZAB (Zulfikar Ali Bhutto) has been at the forefront of fostering and further strengthening this relationship,” he said. Umar Rehman Malik added: “Asif Ali Zardari who conceived […]

March 24, 2024March 24, 2024 by Covert

Kazakhstan strengthens China-Russia trade links with railway expansion

Astana: Kazakhstan Railways is bolstering its presence in both China and Russia to cement the Central Asian state’s role as a hub for both Europe- and Russia-bound freight rail traffic originating in East Asia. Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, speaking via video link, inaugurated a Kazakhstan Railways (KTZ) logistics and innovation center in the central Chinese […]

March 24, 2024March 24, 2024 by Covert

Ambassador Marilina Armellin appreciates progress on Olive Culture Project

Celina Ali Islamabad: The 4th Steering Committee meeting for the “OliveCulture – Holistic and Multiprofessional Mechanism for a Pakistani Olive Oil Value Chain” Project convened this week in Islamabad, marking another significant step towards enhancing Pakistan’s olive sector. Chaired by Muhammad Asif, Federal Secretary of the Ministry of National Food Security & Research, Government of […]

March 24, 2024March 24, 2024 by Covert

Ukraine to receive 6 billion euro from EU in next two months, says PM

Kyiv: Ukraine will receive €6 billion from the European Union via its four-year Ukraine facility in the next two months, Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal said this week. The government expects to receive €4.5 billion in March and another €1.5 billion in April, Shmyhal told a government meeting. “This year, we aim to receive about €16 […]

March 17, 2024March 17, 2024 by Covert

Venice Simplon-Orient-Express offers luxury train travel from Paris to Italy

Newswire Venice: A new luxury train route from Paris to Portofino on Italy’s Ligurian coast will become a reality this summer courtesy of the Venice Simplon-Orient-Express. The three-night experience includes one night on board the iconic train followed by a two-night stay at the five-star Splendido, A Belmond Hotel, overlooking the Gulf of Tigullio in […]

March 17, 2024March 17, 2024 by Covert

Regarding US TikTok plunder, ByteDance must not back down

Hu Xijin According to the Wall Street Journal on March 9, former Activision CEO Bobby Kotick approached ByteDance to express interest to buy TikTok and floated the idea of partnering with CEO of OpenAI Sam Altman and others. ByteDance responded on Sunday stating that this report is not true. ByteDance cannot back down this time; […]

March 17, 2024March 17, 2024 by Covert

Pakistan expects bumper yield of cotton crops this year with China’s help: Official

Faisalabad: Pakistan is expecting a bumper yield of cotton crops this year with the help of China, a senior official said. Deputy Director (DD) Agriculture (Extension) Chaudhry Khalid Mehmood said that the early cultivation of cotton crops would give bumper yield and play a pivotal role to stabilize the national economy. Addressing a farmers’ day […]

March 3, 2024March 3, 2024 by Covert

Abbottabad team wins UK HC-hosted NFYE

Celina Ali Islamabad: The team from Abbottabad this week won the National Final Award for Young Entrepreneurs (NFTE) with their business idea of making printed materials accessible to the visually impaired. Prince’s Trust International’s global research into the future of work showed that a quarter of young people in Pakistan are interested in entrepreneurship for […]

March 3, 2024March 3, 2024 by Covert