On March 29, Chinese Ambassador to Pakistan Yao Jing attended at invitation the groundbreaking ceremony of the new Gwadar international airport, with Prime Minister Imran Khan, Chief of Army Staff General Qamar Javed Bajwa, Chief Minister of Baluchistan Jam Kamal, federal ministers, and other Pakistani dignitaries. Nearly 1,000 representatives from China and Pakistan's industrial and commercial sectors were also present at the ceremony. The implementation agreements on the construction of China-Pakistan friendship hospital and vocational training institute were also signed at the occasion.
Prime Minister Imran Khan said he was pleased to visit Gwadar for the first time since he took office. He said that Gwadar Port has unique geographical advantages and is the engine of the development of Pakistan and the construction of China-Pakistan Economic Corridor. Pakistan deeply appreciates the selfless help of the Chinese government and the hard work of Chinese personnel, hopes that the new airport will be constructed and put into operation as soon as possible. He welcomes foreign investors to invest and start their businesses in Gwadar. He also stated that he looks forward to meetings with Chinese leaders during the second Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation to be held in Beijing, and hopes to reach more consensus for cooperation in fields such as economy, trade, science and technology, and agriculture, so as to push Pakistan-China relations to a new level.
Ambassador Yao Jing applauded the time-tested friendship between China and Pakistan. He observed that China appreciates the Pakistani government’s focusing on economic development, improving the business environment and actively attracting investment. He said China stands ready to give its support and develop together with Pakistan, and that the two sides agreed to push the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor into a new stage of broadening and expansion, prioritize industrial cooperation and the people's livelihood, and focus more on the underdeveloped regions in the west. Calling the new Gwadar international airport another milestone in the cooperation between the two countries, he stated that China fully supports Pakistan's development and stability. As a sincere partner of Pakistan, China welcomes Prime Minister Imran Khan to attend the Second Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation. He believed that with the joint efforts of the two sides, the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor will yield more fruitful results and the friendship between China and Pakistan will glow with new splendor.
Baluchistan Chief Minister Jam Kamal thanked the federal government for leading the country into the road of security, development and peace. He said the province of Baluchistan and the port of Gwadar have their own advantages and great potential as late comers. He extended appreciation to China for building the new Gwadar airport, the new hospitals and school, which are precious gifts from the Chinese people to the Pakistani people. All these facilities will prop up the development of Gwadar. Pakistan is committed to the construction of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor, strives to create a sound business environment and vigorously develop the "blue economy", and welcomes enterprises from all over the world to invest actively for a better tomorrow of Gwadar.
Before the ceremony, Prime Minister Imran Khan, Ambassador Yao Jing and others also participated in the "Green Clean Gwadar Movement" tree planting activity and inspected the Gwadar Expo 2019, which attracted 104 companies from China and Pakistan, covering areas such as agriculture, mining, environmental protection, clothing, food, architecture, equipment manufacturing, telecommunications and finance.