“Pakistan is witnessing burgeoning e-commerce development. Apart from the large cities like Islamabad, Lahore, etc., there is a huge potential to be unleashed in small cities. They need supporting logistic facilities”, Mr. Shi analyses.

Luckily, some Chinese companies have already captured this opportunity. Since its establishment last year, the Committee has been working closely with Pakistan’s leading logistic company TCS to connect bilateral enterprises and government authorities .

For example, at the peak of the pandemic, Shenzhen ZCTD Supply Chain Company opened a special aviation line to carry epidemic prevention and control supplies to Pakistan. Most recently, Speedaf, a joint venture by Alibaba and ZTO, is deploying its logistic network in Pakistan.

“Multi-functional logistics centers are in the pipeline”, said Mr. Shi.

Apart from boosting local employment and revenue, the development of logistics in Pakistan will hugely advance the entire logistic industry in the area.”This is how Chinese logistics prospers. First the delivery companies emerged, and then they bring the industry up”, Mr. Shi observes.

“While the pandemic has taken a toll on regional transportation routes, we anticipate that CPEC will play a greater role by connecting Pakistan with China’s northwestern province Xinjiang, and further with other Middle Asian countries”, Mr. Shi envisions.

Looking ahead, Mr. Shi maintains that digital platform is the way forward. In collaboration with SZCBEA, the committee has started to develop a new e-commerce platform to pool the relevant resources together.

“I believe as more Chinese logistic companies set eyes on the vast Pakistani market, more warehouses, delivery lines and dispatching teams will appear in Pakistani cities”, he said.