Pakistani PM welcomes first large Chinese shipment to Gwadar port

Record ID: 78997

  • Title: Pakistani PM welcomes first large Chinese shipment to Gwadar port
  • Date: 13th November 2016
  • Summary: GWADAR, BALUCHISTAN PROVINCE, PAKISTAN (NOVEMBER 13, 2016) (REUTERS) ***WARNING CONTAINS FLASH PHOTOGRAPHY*** TRACKING SHOT OF ROAD LEADING TO GWADAR PORT BOATS AND SEA WATER TERMINAL MODEL OF SHIP / CRANES VARIOUS OF TRUCKS CARRYING FIRST SHIPMENT OF CHINESE GOODS LINED UP CIVIL AND MILITARY OFFICIALS GATHERING AT CEREMONY BANNER ON STAGE READING (English): "CHINA-PAKISTAN ECONOMIC CORRIDOR, PILOT PROJECT - FIRST TRADE CONVOY" PRIME MINISTER NAWAZ SHARIF AND ARMY CHIEF GENERAL RAHEEL SHARIF WALKING/SHARIF WAVING CHINESE AMBASSADOR, SUN WEIDONG, ARRIVING AT PODIUM SUN WEIDONG ADDRESSING CHINESE OFFICIALS AMONG AUDIENCE PAKISTANI PRIME MINISTER, NAWAZ SHARIF, WALKING TO PODIUM CHINESE OFFICIALS AMONG AUDIENCE (SOUNDBITE) (English) PAKISTANI PRIME MINISTER, NAWAZ SHARIF, SAYING: "Pakistan is located at the intersection of three engines of growth in Asia, South Asia, China and Central Asia. CPEC will help in integrating these regions into an economic zone offering great opportunities for people of the region as well as investors from all over the world." PAKISTANI CIVIL AND MILITARY OFFICIALS SEATED (SOUNDBITE) (English) PAKISTANI PRIME MINISTER, NAWAZ SHARIF, SAYING: "Pakistan is a proud partner of China and president Xi in this initiative. We will leave no stone unturned in ensuring that CPEC and all the projects under its umbrella are materialised in time and in full." AUDIENCE (SOUNDBITE) (English) PAKISTANI PRIME MINISTER, NAWAZ SHARIF, SAYING: "Our hearts are saddened and thoughts are with the innocent victims' families. But at the same time, I want to re-emphasise that such cowardly attacks cannot weaken our resolve to eliminate the menace of extremism and terrorism from our country in all forms." AUDIENCE CLAPPING VARIOUS OF SHARIF DESCENDING FROM STAGE AUDIENCE NAWAZ SHARIF AND RAHEEL SHARIF WALKING VIEW OF PORT CONTAINER WITH BANNER READING (English): "CONGRATULATIONS! TO THE FIRST CALL OF CONTAINER VESSEL AT GWADAR PORT. 13TH NOVEMBER 2016. CHINA OVERSEAS PORTS HOLDING COMPANY LIMITED" SHARIF UNVEILING PLAQUE AND FORMALLY INAUGURATING THE PROJECT GUARD STANDING NEXT TO SHIP VARIOUS OF SECURITY BOATS PATROLLING AT SEA SHARIF GETTING INTO CAR SHARIF'S CAR LEAVING CARS LEAVING CARRYING OTHER MILITARY OFFICIALS
  • Embargoed: 28th November 2016 18:17
  • Keywords: Pakistan Chinan trade Sharif Gwadar port Arabian Sea
  • Location: GWADAR, BALUCHISTAN PROVINCE, PAKISTAN
  • City: GWADAR, BALUCHISTAN PROVINCE, PAKISTAN
  • Country: Pakistan
  • Topics: Government/Politics,International Trade
  • Reuters ID: LVA00158A2KW7
  • Aspect Ratio: 16:9
  • Story Text: Pakistan's prime minister and army chief on Sunday (November 13) welcomed the first large shipment of Chinese goods through the renovated port of Gwadar, part of a trade link between western China and the Arabian Sea.
    The deep-water port in Pakistan's southwestern province of Baluchistan is key to the $46 billion China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) that also encompasses roads and energy projects.
    "Pakistan is located at the intersection of three engines of growth in Asia, South Asia, China and Central Asia. CPEC will help in integrating these regions into an economic zone offering great opportunities for people of the region as well as investors from all over the world," Pakistani Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif said at a ceremony in Gwadar on Sunday (November 13).
    "Pakistan is a proud partner of China and president Xi in this initiative. We will leave no stone unturned in ensuring that CPEC and all the projects under its umbrella are materialised in time and in full," he added.
    Army chief Gen. Raheel Sharif also attended Sunday's ceremony at the port, which is expected mostly to see imports of building materials in the next year before eventually becoming a gateway for goods from western China's Xinjiang province.
    The port ceremony came a day after a bomb in another part of Baluchistan killed at least 52 people at a Muslim shrine in an attack claimed by Islamic State.
    Pakistan has raised a dedicated security force to protect CPEC projects.
    The prime minister on Sunday vowed that attacks would not derail any of the work, while expressing condolences to victims of the shrine attack.
    "Our hearts are saddened and thoughts are with the innocent victims' families. But at the same time, I want to re-emphasise that such cowardly attacks cannot weaken our resolve to eliminate the menace of extremism and terrorism from our country in all forms," Sharif said.
    Baluchistan is home to an ethnic nationalist insurgency as well as operations by sectarian militants including Lashkar-e-Jangvi, which has previously said it partners with Islamic State's Middle East-based leadership.
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