
Pakistan and China Sign Three MoUs on Water, Agriculture and Tea
Pakistan and China have formalised three Memoranda of Understanding covering desalination technology, agricultural cooperation, and the tea sector, deepening bilateral economic ties under the broader framework of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor.
The agreements were signed during a bilateral engagement and cover distinct sectoral priorities. The desalination MoU aims to leverage Chinese technological expertise to address Pakistan's growing freshwater scarcity, particularly in coastal and arid regions. The agriculture cooperation accord focuses on technology transfer and productivity enhancement, while the tea sector agreement is expected to support local cultivation and reduce Pakistan's sizeable tea import bill.
Pakistan imports substantial volumes of tea annually, making it one of the world's largest consumers of the commodity. A push toward domestic cultivation, supported by Chinese agronomic expertise, has been a stated policy goal for several years.
The signing reflects China's continued engagement across Pakistan's productive sectors beyond infrastructure, signalling a broadening of CPEC's second phase into agriculture, food security, and water management.
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