A living symbol of Pakistan and China’s close friendship is looking to its neighbor once again to help expand.

The Heavy Mechanical Complex (HMC) in north of Islamabad, Pakistan, dubbed the “Chinese Factory” by locals, is looking forward to further cooperation with China amid efforts to upgrade the facilities and strengthen the design capability, Dr Muhammad Ashraf Butt Managing Director said.

The HMC was established in 1970s with the technical and financial support of China. The workshop is littered with different kinds of equipment imported from China, such as a 3,000 ton press by China’s Taiyuan Heavy Machinery. China’s former president Jiang Zemin once led a technical team to work in HMC for one month.

HMC has been built it into a large engineering enterprise engaged in the manufacture of heavy engineering goods, such as machinery for cement and equipment for hydro electric power plants. But HMC mangers said much of the equipment is outdated and needs upgrading to meet its development.

“We have very close contact with some Chinese engineers, and every time we have difficulty we will call them for help,” a manager said.

Dr Muhammad Ashraf Butt also said that HMC intends to turn the current design center into an institute to train more engineers and hopes China can continue to support the complex, a living symbol of Pakistan-China friendship.