January 21, 2003	Tuesday	Ziqa’ad 17, 1423

BEIJING, Jan 20: China has reassured its support for timely completion of under-construction Gwadar deep sea port.

This was stated by Chairman Gwadar Development Authority Admiral Sarfraz Khan at the end of his week-long visit to China.

He told APP that the first phase of the project will be completed by 2005. “In fact we are going ahead of our schedule,” he added. During his stay in China, he said he held very useful meetings with the Chinese high officials to settle certain technical matters concerning the project.

The visit, he said, was part of regular contact with the Chinese friends to carry out the work according to the stipulated plan.

Expressing satisfaction over the quality of the construction, Admiral Sarfraz said “it is up to the international standard.”

He dispelled the impression that there is any hurdle in the smooth operation of the work. “Chinese companies face no difficulty in executing the projects, which are taken on government-to-government level, especially with close friends like Pakistan, he added.—APP