THE leader of the five-member Chinese trade mission, which arrived here last night [Oct 21], Mr Chia Shih, Vice-Minister for Foreign Trade and Vice-President of Chinese Council for Promotion of International Trade, said that friendship between Pakistan and China was increasing everyday to mutual strength, prosperity and stability in the region.

Mr Chia Shih said this Sino-Pakistan friendship will be conducive to great expansion and increased collaboration in economic and other fields.

Conveying the greetings of the people and the Government of China, he said they wish a strong and prosperous Pakistan.

Today the delegation will go to the Mazar of Quaid-i-Azam in the afternoon and drive to Hill Park and Clifton in the evening. — Correspondent

[Meanwhile, according to agencies in Islamabad,] Pakistan and China today [Oct 21] signed an agreement to facilitate overland trade between Gilgit Agency on the Pakistan side and Sinkiang on the Chinese side.

An official handout issued here today said: “The agreement is intended for the benefit of the people living in the border areas of both the countries. It provides for movement of goods between these border areas on a limited basis and meets the long-felt need for reopening of the traditional overland trade route which existed for centuries.”

The old overland trade route — more popularly known as “the Silk Route” between Gilgit Agency and Sinkiang — will be reopened shortly.

Published in Dawn, October 22nd, 2017