pak-china-us3r A new analysis by Gallup Pakistan, based on membership data from the Pakistan–China Joint Chamber of Commerce & Industry (PCJCCI), reveals that China’s economic presence in Pakistan is being reshaped by a surge in trade, IT services, and small-scale manufacturing.
Contrary to the conventional perception that China’s footprint in Pakistan is dominated by state-backed infrastructure projects—such as highways, power plants, and the development of Gwadar Port—the findings point to a broader, entrepreneur-driven wave. More than 2,000 Chinese firms are now operating across the country, extending far beyond the scope of CPEC megaprojects.
Bilal Gilani, Executive Director of Gallup Pakistan, remarked that the corporate data paints a different picture. “When we think of China’s economic footprint in Pakistan, the mind immediately jumps to mega infrastructure projects. But a look at the actual corporate registrations tells a very different and much more interesting story,” he noted.
The data underscore a growing presence of small and medium-sized Chinese enterprises entering Pakistan independently of government-to-government frameworks. These include trading houses, solar and machinery suppliers, small manufacturers, engineering workshops, IT support providers, consultancies, import-export firms, and mining exploration units.
Their expansion reflects a fragmented, market-driven, and adaptive investment pattern—markedly different from the multinational-led model typically associated with Western economies. According to the analysis, nearly 49% of Chinese firms are registered in Islamabad, a concentration attributed to the city’s proximity to federal regulators, ministries, and CPEC oversight bodies.
The sectoral breakdown, however, offers the clearest insight into the evolving nature of China’s engagement in Pakistan’s economy. Trading and import-export firms account for 28% of all registered Chinese companies, while construction and engineering firms maintain a significant, though no longer dominant, presence.
