Gwadar Port being major player in New Silk Road Initiative offers core connectivity to GCC and Middle East

Being the major player of China’s ambitious New Silk Road Initiative, Pakistan has said it would connect the Chinese initiative towards the entire Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC).

“Pakistan is basically the main corridor for China. That’s why Gwadar Port is becoming the core seaport for the entire BRI [Belt and Road Initiative] and Pakistan is going to connect the New Silk Road Initiative towards all GCC,” said Samiullah Vohra, Chairman of China Pakistan Economic Corridor Business, quoted Qatar’s daily The Peninsula.

Vohra was one of the exhibitors at the Silk Road Exhibition organised at the Doha Exhibition and Convention Centre (DECC). The GCC is a political and economic alliance of six Middle Eastern countries – Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Bahrain and Oman.

Speaking about BRI, Vohra said Pakistan’s Gwadar Port would provide the major connectivity to Islamic countries in GCC and Middle East. “The trade activities by the Belt and Road Initiative are very huge. The route starts from Xinjiang province to Europe and covers the entire GCC. The major connectivity of the Islamic countries in the region starts from Gwadar Port. This port connects the entire GCC and Middle Eastern countries,” he said.

Over 100 countries and international organisations have given the green signal to be part of the new Silk Road.