The main leather industry bodies for China and for Pakistan formally signed a new memorandum of understanding. The ceremony took place at the All China Leather Exhibition, with the chairman of the China Leather Industry Association, Li Yuzhong, and his counterpart in the Pakistan Tanners’ Association, Muhammad Mehr Ali. Report by Leatherbiz.

Pakistan’s consul general in Shanghai, Shazhad Ahmad Khan, was a guest at the ceremony. He said a strong partnership between the leather industries of the two countries was important.

He explained: “The leather sector is one of Pakistan’s topmost export-focused industries and we have a long history of collaboration with China.”

The consul general also noted that when the two governments agreed a wider collaboration agreement earlier this year, leather was one of 13 industries that they highlighted.

As a result the CLIA chairman led a delegation of business leaders to Pakistan in August and business leaders from Pakistan are planning a return visit to China, with meetings in Guangzhou in October.

“I congratulate the two industry associations for opening up this new avenue and I hope it will take us all a long way,” Mr Khan concluded.