China and Pakistan have further established a new air cargo route to to enhance trade ties between the two all-weather allies. This development precedes Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s upcoming visit to Beijing next week.
The state-run Associated Press of Pakistan reported that the new air cargo route, inaugurated on Tuesday (28), connects Guizhou, China, with Karachi, Pakistan.
The inaugural flight, an all-cargo plane carrying six tonnes of freight, including clothing, electronics, and various commodities, departed from Guiyang, the capital of Guizhou, as noted by China Economic Net (CEN).
After nearly six hours of flight, the plane arrived in Karachi and was scheduled to return to Guiyang with blue crabs from Pakistan, according to Guiyang Customs.
The route is scheduled to operate three flights a week, transporting goods such as hardware accessories, clothing fabrics, and electronic accessories.
This air route is significant as it marks the first direct connection between Guizhou and Pakistan and the first air freight route linking the province with a Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) country.
Officials believe this new route will help establish Guiyang as a cargo distribution center in southwest China and reduce the time for Pakistan’s quality fresh products to reach Guizhou.
The inauguration of the Guiyang-Karachi air cargo route is expected to facilitate trade between the two regions, according to the APP report. In January, the two countries launched an air cargo route connecting Ezhou Huahu Airport in central China’s Hubei province with Pakistan’s eastern city of Lahore.
This air cargo link comes ahead of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s five-day official visit to China starting on June 4. During his visit, he is expected to meet with top Chinese businessmen to seek more investments in the second phase of the Pak-China Economic Corridor (CPEC) projects.
Sharif will also hold talks with Chinese President Xi Jinping, Premier Li Qiang, and other leaders to further strengthen bilateral ties, as the all-weather allies aim to enhance cooperation under the multi-billion dollar CPEC initiative.
