[Feature] Serena Hotels Pakistan participated in Kashghar Fair

by Asghar Khan

Serena Hotels Pakistan participated in the fifth International Trade Fair in Kashgar, an important ancient Silk Road town in what is now the Xinjiang Uighir Autonomous Region. 

The five days Kashgar, Central and South Asia Commodity Fair attracted more than 12,000 businessmen, including 800 from seven central and south Asian countries Pakistan, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, Turkmenistan and Afghanistan, according to organizers.

The commodity fair comprised of around 960 indoor standard stalls and 100 outdoors booths, covering an area of up to 50,000 square meters. There were 80 Pakistani trade delegations from Northern Areas Chamber of Commerce and 45 from Rawalpindi Chamber of Commerce and Industry attending the exhibition. Food, textiles and clothing, gems and jewelry, machinery and electronic products were the major goods for trading.
 
The objective of the fair was to strengthen regional exchange and cooperation, expanding import and export trade, furthering advantages complementation, realizing the development.

The opening ceremony was held on June 28, 2009 at 10:00 Xinjiang time and attended by the delegations of Pakistan, Tajikistan, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan, Afghanistan, Ambassadors, First Secretary of Russia to China and Representatives of Chinese provinces. On the opening ceremony Mr. Huang Snapping, the Kashgar official termed the festiavl as conducive for “building a good active economic relationship between Kashgar and other parts of China, and central and south Asian countries,”. Last year, transactions at the fair reached 24.3 billion Yuan (3.55 billion U.S. dollars).
 
Three delegations from Pakistan participated in the fair. H E. Masood Khan Ambassador of Pakistan to China, Syed Ahmed Hussain Shah, NWFP

Industries Minister, and Mr. Babar Yaqoub Fateh Muhammad, Chief Secretary Northern Areas, visited the Pakistan stalls and appreciated the traders’ far sightedness.

Serena Hotels displayed backdrop of Serena Hotels with the posters and Sales kits of Islamabad, Gilgit Serena Hotel and Hunza Baltit Inn. Other than Pakistani delegations, Tajikistan, Afghanistan, Uzbekistan, Ambassadors to China and Chinese officials also visited the stalls. This year there were a few tourist from Europe and America, but tourists from inner China, investors and University students, Govt. Officials visited the stalls and appreciated the product from Pakistan. The Kashgar TV covered the fair through the live telecast and highlighted Pakistani stall in the exhibition.

  A reception was hosted in honor of all members of Pakistani delegation by leading Pakistan exporters. H.E Masood Khan Ambassador to China said he held in-depth talks with Commissioner of Kashgar Mr. Akbar Gopur to explore ways and means to strengthen economic and trade ties between Xinjiang and Northern Areas of Pakistan. “With up gradation of KKH, the volume of trade would increase, the speed of transportation would pick up”

The next Urumqi Foreign Economic Relations and Trade Fair will be held at Xinjiang International Exhibition Center in Urumqi, from September 1 – 5 2009. www.urumqifair.com