Giving a word of encouragement to the perturbed textile exporters of Pakistan, Finland’s Honorary Consul General to Pakistan, Wille Eerola has reiterated that the European bloc will remain the biggest export market for Pakistan’s textile sector in the coming years. This, despite a huge influx of Chinese investments in the South Asian nation.

Referring to the ongoing developments under the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), the Consul General said that the project would definitely change the country’s landscape and bring both countries (China and Pakistan) closer. However, textile lobbies should be aware that China itself was a big exporter of raw textile products. Eeroala feels, Pakistan is full of opportunities, especially for Nordic companies but the country needs to improve its image at the international level.

Eerola, who also chairs the Nordic-Pakistan Business Summit, said he had already managed to bring many Nordic investors to Pakistan and around 80 companies were interested in investing in the country. Bilateral trade between the EU and Pakistan stood at €10.5 billion in 2015. However, trade between Pakistan and the seven Nordic countries remained at around €150 million.

In CPEC, he said though Chinese companies were dominating the project, Nordic companies still had several opportunities to tap. He believed that such projects could only be undertaken via joint ventures with local counterparts, as foreign companies would help in bringing investments, technology and expertise. However, Pakistani companies right now were more inclined towards China.