ISLAMABAD, June 1: A new air cargo route has been opened between Pakistan and China, further strengthening trade ties between the two countries ahead of Prime Minister Sharif’s visit to Beijing next week.
The new air cargo route, which was launched on May 28, links China’s Guizhou province with Karachi, Pakistan, according to Pakistan’s state-run news agency, The Associated Press.
According to a report by China Economic Daily (CEN), the route began with a cargo plane departing from Guiyang, the capital of Guizhou province, carrying six tonnes of cargo including clothing, electronic devices and a range of daily necessities.
After about six hours of flight, the plane arrived in Karachi and was scheduled to return to Guiyang from Pakistan with a cargo of blue crabs, according to Guiyang Customs.
Flights on the route would operate three times a week and carry goods such as hardware accessories, clothing fabrics and electronic accessories.
The air route is significant as it is the first direct connection between Guizhou and Pakistan, as well as the first air cargo route connecting Guizhou with Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) countries.
Officials believe the new route will help Guiyang establish itself as a cargo distribution centre in southwest China and reduce the time it takes for Pakistan’s quality fresh produce to reach Guizhou province.
According to an APP report, the opening of the Guiyang-Karachi air cargo route is expected to boost trade between the two regions.
The two countries launched an air cargo route in January connecting Ezhou Huahu Airport in central China’s Hubei Province with the eastern Pakistani city of Lahore.
The air cargo shipment comes ahead of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s official visit to Pakistan from June 4 to June 5, when he will meet top Chinese businessmen to seek more investments in the second phase of the Pakistan-China Economic Corridor (CPEC) project.
Sharif is expected to meet Chinese President Xi Jinping, Premier Li Qiang and other leaders to chart a blueprint for further strengthening ties between the two countries as they seek to boost cooperation under the multi-billion-dollar CPEC. (News Agency)
