China gains access to UAE via Pakistan for goods trade

In a major development, the National Logistics Corporation (NLC) has officially initiated the delivery of trade goods from China to the United Arab Emirates (UAE) via Pakistan’s land-sea route under the international road transport system, TIR.

This development marks a significant milestone in the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) initiative, providing a shorter and more efficient route for the movement of goods from China to the Gulf Countries, according to state-run Radio Pakistan.

Under the initiative, a truck carrying electronic equipment has departed from Kashgar, Xinjiang, for the Jebel Ali Port in Dubai, via Pakistan.

The truck’s journey began with a stop at the NLC Dry Port in Sost, Gilgit–Baltistan, where a ceremony was held to mark the historic occasion.

The goods will be delivered from Kashgar to Karachi by NLC trucks in just eight days. From Karachi, the container will be then shipped to Jebel Ali Port by sea, which will take two additional days. Hence, in total, it will take goods from Xinjiang, China, to reach the UAE in 10 days instead of about a month through sea.

This new China-to-UAE route through Pakistan offers significant advantages for the business community.

“It’s very convenient to transport goods from Kashgar, Xinjiang, to other countries. The customs has provided a lot of assistance. Now we have more and more customers from different countries, and our business has also extended to Pakistan and Afghanistan.

“I believe that the business volume will grow larger and larger in the future, and the annual transportation volume is expected to reach more than 1,000 vehicle trips,” said the operations in-charge for NLC’s China Project Department.

The Khunjerab Pass serves as a strategic gateway for trade between Europe and South Asia. The pass earlier facilitated bilateral trades only, serving as a mean for importing textiles, agricultural products and commodities of basic necessities and exporting herbs and plants.

“This achievement signifies a major leap forward in the operationalisation of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), utilising the shortest and most efficient route from China to the Gulf region via Pakistan,” the NLC said in a statement.

The NLC said the milestone showed that the Khunjerab Pass, a vital gateway for regional trade, will remain operational throughout the year.