Beijing, Federal Minister for Maritime Affairs Junaid Anwar Chaudhry led a high-level Pakistani delegation, including Gwadar Port Authority Chairman Noor ul Haq Baloch, to Beijing to participate in the international seminar titled “Promoting Economic Growth through the Pakistan–China International Logistics Hub.”
Addressing the forum, the maritime minister emphasized the importance of strengthening Pakistan–China economic and strategic cooperation through enhanced regional connectivity and integrated logistics networks. He said that the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), Gwadar Port, and the Gwadar Free Zone offer significant opportunities to expand trade, investment, and economic activity across the region.
The minister highlighted Pakistan’s strategic geographic location, extensive coastline, and port infrastructure, describing the country as a vital regional trade and transit hub. He invited Chinese companies and investors to capitalize on investment opportunities, particularly in Gwadar Port and the Gwadar Free Zone, while reaffirming Pakistan’s commitment to developing Gwadar into a modern center for logistics, transshipment, maritime services, and regional commerce.
Gwadar Port Authority Chairman Noor ul Haq Baloch outlined Gwadar’s strategic position at the crossroads of the Middle East, Central Asia, South Asia, and western China, underscoring its potential as a regional hub for logistics, transshipment, bunkering, and maritime services. He briefed participants on ongoing commercial operations, cargo handling, recent bunkering activities, port infrastructure upgrades, and investment opportunities available in the Gwadar Free Zone.
Baloch said the Government of Pakistan is providing investors with tax incentives, customs facilitation, and business-friendly policies. He encouraged Chinese investors to explore opportunities in port-linked industries, logistics, warehousing, ship repair, fisheries, renewable energy, value-added logistics, and other industrial sectors.
He also presented Gwadar as a future regional energy and multimodal transport hub, highlighting a proposed land-based LNG terminal with an estimated investment of US$3–4 billion, 35 BCF of LNG storage capacity, and infrastructure spread across approximately 125 acres. The project, he said, would strengthen Pakistan’s energy security while supporting regional energy connectivity.
During the seminar, participants discussed expanding bilateral economic cooperation through integrated logistics networks, multimodal transport corridors, maritime services, port-linked industrial infrastructure, value-added logistics platforms, and energy projects. Officials said the combined value of the proposed initiatives could exceed US$10 billion.
Chinese government representatives, logistics firms, investors, and industry experts—including Lin Jianhui, Chairman of Luhang Rail Transportation Technology Company Ltd.—expressed strong interest in Gwadar’s future development and explored opportunities for joint investment across multiple sectors.
The forum concluded with a shared commitment to deepen Pakistan–China economic cooperation, attract greater foreign investment, and position Gwadar Port as a world-class regional hub for trade, logistics, energy, and maritime services.
