Huawei likely to pump $400m into data, cloud centre

Chinese tech giant Huawei is likely to invest up to $400 million to establish a National Data and Cloud Centre as well as provide training to the Pakistani youth in information technology.

The investment is expected to be poured over the next three to four years.

Sources told The Express Tribune that Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif held a meeting with the top management of Huawei, a leading Chinese telecommunication and technology company, during his recent visit to Beijing.

The Chinese firm agreed to train 200,000 Pakistani youth annually in IT and also assist in setting up the National Data and Cloud Centre as well as in Pakistan's shift towards e-government. In this context, according to sources, an investment of $300-400 million is expected to be made in the next three to four years.

Pakistani government has appreciated the role of Huawei, particularly in the Safe City projects.

Sources said that the government also intended to engage Huawei in the digitalisation of taxation process, introduction of e-governance and technological modernisation of the agricultural sector.

Moreover, Pakistan and China deliberated on forging cooperation in the space sector under the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) framework.

The joint launch of the MM-I satellite recently will help in improving the provision of internet facilities in Gilgit-Baltistan, Kashmir and other remote areas.

China will also assist in establishing a state-of-the-art campus of an agricultural institute in Pakistan.

Sources said during the visit of PM Sharif from June 4 to 8, 2024, a major concern of the Chinese side was the safety of Chinese workers and nationals. The security of foreign investors is critical for attracting investment into Pakistan.

Sources said the PM assured the Chinese that extraordinary measures had been taken by the government of Pakistan to provide the best possible security to the Chinese nationals, including the air transport of Chinese engineers to and from project sites at Dasu, Diamer Bhasha and K-4.

During the trip, the PM met Chinese President Xi Jinping, Premier Li Qiang, chairman of the National People's Congress standing committee and CEOs of leading companies.

A major objective was to observe Chinese agricultural modernisation, technological advancement and business facilitation.

As part of the visit, business-to-business (B2B) meetings were held between businessmen and investors from both sides at the Pakistan-China Business Forum in Shenzhen.

PM Sharif visited the Nanshan One Stop Services Centre in Shenzhen and appreciated the modern digital system for company and business registration; all under one roof.

He directed the relevant ministers and government officials to consult the Nanshan One Stop Services Centre and finalise a plan for providing similar services in Pakistan.

Referring to CPEC-II at a high-level meeting, Minister for Planning, Development and Special Initiatives Ahsan Iqbal gave an overview of the initiatives taken for strengthening the engagement with China.

He highlighted the major agreements reached with China to expedite the second phase of CPEC, with a focus on agricultural modernisation, transfer of technology, promoting industrialisation and the establishment of Special Economic Zones, which constituted a significant shift from the earlier focus on infrastructural projects only.

'This phase of CPEC is pivotal for Pakistan's economic development,' the minister remarked, adding that the primary focus was on attracting foreign investment under the B2B mode and fostering closer collaboration between Pakistani and Chinese enterprises.

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