Pakistan is looking to export live donkeys to China, as the gap between the country's huge demand and its decreasing supply has been widening for years.
The project initiated by the Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (KP) provincial government and titled the "KP-China Sustainable Donkey Development Programme," is one of the many investment proposals the KP Planning and Development Department has put forward, according to the Pakistan-based The Express Tribune.
In the context of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), the program, with an initial investment of 1 billion Pakistan Rupees ($9.81 million), aims to increase the donkey population of KP and create a channel which can ensure the uninterrupted supply of donkeys to China, according to a statement released one the KP-CPEC website.
The website notes that while neglected in Pakistan, the animal is highly prized in China, especially for its hide which is used to manufacture traditional Chinese medicines.
"The proposed project will help improve the socio-economic status of donkey-rearing communities by improving the health and production of local donkeys," the statement said. 英语新闻
