China to add freight train service to Pakistan

Beijing July 6 (IANS) China is preparing to start a freight train service to Pakistan -- the second such link in South Asia.

The new line will start from Lanzhou capital of China s northwest Gansu province and travel through Uygur region to the Gwadar Port in Pakistan Xinhua news agency reported on Thursday.

Xu Chunhua Director of Lanzhou International Trade and Logistic Park made the announcement at the China Lanzhou Investment and Trade Fair.

In May 2016 a rail and road cargo service opened between Lanzhou and Kathmandu.

Xu said the cargo service had been welcomed by South Asian countries.

In 2016 bilateral trade between China and Nepal was over 3 billion yuan (about $440 million) and the volume is forecast to hit 10 billion yuan this year.

--IANS
mr/py