Governor of the Xinjiang Uyger, autonomous region of China, Ismail Tiliwaldi has said his government will establish rail link with Pakistan to expand the avenues of bilateral co-operation in socio-economic sectors.
"We will soon hold a feasibility study to work out possibilities of operating rail network between the two brotherly countries through Kashgar," he said during his meeting held in Urumqi with the visiting delegation of Pakistan Muslim League (PML), led by Senator Mushahid Hussain Sayed.
China, particularly its western region (Xinjiang) attached great importance to its socio-economic ties with Pakistan and wished to have greater interaction to strengthen their mutually beneficial co-operative partnership, he added.
The two sides agreed that the western region envisaged rich potential to emerge as hub of Sino-Pak business activities, with further development of the road, rail and air network.
Pakistan and China have already decided to start a regular bus service between Kashgar and Gilgit on daily basis from June 1. Two countries will also start goods transportation service via Khunjrab pass from May 1.
Pakistan International Airlines and China Southern Airlines are also operating their flights on this route on regular basis.
The Xinjiang, Muslim-majority region has 17 ports open to the outside world. The region, also linked through old Silk Route could provide tremendous boost to economic collaboration at regional and international levels, said Mushahid Hussain.
Talking to newsmen, he said the two sides had bright prospects to strengthen their strategic partnership in various sectors, including trade, energy and defence.
He termed his visit to China as highly successful further strengthening the bonds of friendship. A framework of co-operation and regular exchanges has been worked out between the PML and Communist Party of China.