President Asif Ali Zardari visited the Kashgar free trade area on Saturday – the only gender installation in southern Xinjiang and a large shopping and logistical center. During the visit, Zardari urged a private Chinese airline to extend its operations to Pakistan to stimulate connectivity and deepen cultural ties.
The president, who has been visiting ten days in China since September 12, was received by Yao Ning, secretary of the CPC party in Kashgar. It has been informed of the rapid growth of the area since its creation in 2015.
Distributed over 3.56 square kilometers, the area combines glued storage, logistics, treatment, customs clearance and air freight services. It maintains commercial links with 118 countries, exporting electric vehicles, batteries, solar cells, high -tech products and car parts.
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The officials informed Zardari that the area is connected by road, rail and air in Asia and Europe, and has its own international airport. It is also linked to the Sost port in Gilgit -Baltistan – 400 kilometers away – and Gwadar Port, 2,000 kilometers, making it a vital gateway for imports and exports.
During his tour, the president also visited stands with products in Central Asia, Europe, South Korea and Japan.
He was informed of the Digital Trade Center, created in 2024, which now welcomes more than 5,400 companies. He also visited the cross-border electronic commerce exhibition center displaying outdoor franchise products in Central Asia, Europe and beyond.
Zardari has been updated on the “Two Country, Twin Parks” initiative – including an industrial park supported by the Uzbekistan offering a 72 -hour warehouse delivery and a park supported by a 72 -hour warehouse and a park supported by Kyrgyzstan in development for the automotive assembly and the production.
Senator Saleem Mandviwalla, Minister of Sindh Syed Nasir Hussain Shah, Pakistan ambassador to China and Chinese envoy to Pakistan accompanied the president.
Air connectivity
Later in the day, the president met the CEO of Serene Air, Yunchun Yang, who shared the airline’s expansion plans for Pakistan.
Zardari urged the airline to improve its connectivity and services. Yang, who has a doctorate from the University of California and directs a semiconductor company in operation in China, Sweden and the United States, has promised new investments in the Pakistani aviation sector.
Serene Air is the first Chinese private investment in the aeronautical industry in Pakistan and the first Pakistani airline to operate direct flights to Beijing. Yang also underlined the joint business projects with Pakistan Air Force on JF-17 Airplane.
Academic links
The president also visited Kashgar University, the first higher education establishment in the south of Xinjiang, where he was welcomed by the secretary of the Ding Bangwen party, professors and students.
Created in 1962 and upgrade to the status of the university in 2015, the institution now has three campuses and more than 40,000 students and teachers, including several hundred foreigners. Registration should reach almost 50,000 in the coming years.
Zardari welcomed the contributions of the university through science, engineering, agriculture, social sciences, arts and culture. He described the institution of the Chinese university closest to Pakistan and a vital bridge for university and cultural exchanges.
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Stressing the Pakistani-China strategic cooperative cooperative partnership, the president stressed the importance of young people and education to strengthen long-term links.
He was also informed of the Center for the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), which supports research and collaboration on belts and roads.
Building with Pakistani students – a lot of Gilgit, Hunza, Dir and Chitral – Zardari asked questions about their studies and living conditions. Students said their tuition fees and housing fees were entirely funded by the Chinese government as well as allocations for food and expenses.
Zardari urged them to excel in their fields and to help strengthen Pakistani-Chinese friendship.
