Pak, China for laying railway track thru Khunjarab Pass

[eaglesword2000]

i think first it will be a single track with some interchanges so trains can travel both sides. and after they'll extende it, as they are doing with KKH

 

[ice_man]

maybe in the next 50 years work will start! given the state of affairs of Pakistan Railways i doubt anything will be done anytime soon

 

[Omar1984]

Pakistan welcomes enhancement of investment for China-Pakistan Railway network


BEIJING, Oct 10 (APP): Pakistan welcomes, the State Council, or China’s Cabinet decisions to increase investment in major infrastructure facilities construction projects in the two economic zones in Xinjiang, including the construction of the China-Kyrghyzstan-Uzbekistan railway and the China-Pakistan railway. “We welcome this decision by the State Council. It reflects the vision of the leadership of the two countries to enhance connectivity between China and Pakistan” said Ambassador Masood Khan here Monday. He said “a rail link between our two countries will shorten distances and create new transportation, trade and energy corridors.”

Khan pointed out that some ground work has already been done in this regard.

The State Council’s timely decision, he said gives a fresh impetus to establish closer rail link between two countries.
The enhanced transportation links between Pakistan and China will launch modern silk routes passing through the adjoining territories of China and Pakistan.

The decision for the setting up infrastructure including laying a railway network had been taken when the State Council recently unveiled guidelines giving more support to the construction of two economic development zones in the western Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region bordering various countries including Pakistan.

According to guidelines released on the central government’s website, the State Council will adopt measures such as fiscal subsidies and tax preferences to facilitate the construction of the Kashgar and Korgas economic development zones located in western and southern Xinjiang.

The central government will work to develop the two zones into new avenues of economic growth in Xinjiang and grow the cities of Kashgar and Yining as regional hubs for China’s opening up to central, southern and western Asian countries as well as eastern Europe.

According to the guidelines, the central government will offer a certain amount of financial subsidies every year to the development of the two economic zones from 2011 to 2015, exempt qualified enterprises from business income taxes for five years, subsidize fixed-asset investment and offer government loans to qualified companies at discounted rates.

Qualified farm products processing enterprises and other labor-intensive companies will have discounts in paying their power consumption and transportation fees.



Associated Press Of Pakistan ( Pakistan's Premier NEWS Agency ) - Pakistan welcomes enhancement of investment for China-Pakistan Railway network

 

[Omar1984]

China plans new economic zones in Xinjiang border towns

China aims to complete infrastructure for economic development zones at Kashgar and Khorgos.


BEIJING: China announced on Saturday that it plans to use subsidies and tax incentives to build two new economic zones in the far western region of Xinjiang, to open up the landlocked west and boost trade with Central and South Asian neighbours.

In a detailed policy outline posted on the central government’s website (中华人民共和国中央人民政府门户网站), the State Council, or cabinet, aims to “basically complete” infrastructure for economic development zones (EDZ) at Kashgar and Khorgos.

Xinjiang is strategically vital to China, accounting for one-sixth of the country’s land mass and rich in oil, gas, coal and other mineral resources. It borders Russia, Kazakhstan, Pakistan, Mongolia, Kyrgystan, Tajikistan, Afghanistan and India, and is a politically sensitive region as many Uighurs, a Turkic-speaking Muslim people native to Xinjiang, resent Chinese controls on religion, culture and language.

Electronics, textiles, metallurgy and renewable energy manufacturing would be key areas for development in Kashgar, an oasis in south-western part of Xinjiang, the statement said, while Khorgos would focus on chemicals, farm products and pharmaceuticals.

“By 2020, the two economic zones would see a great leap in competitiveness in these industries and overall economic strength,” the statement said. Khorgos, already an entry point of the landmark Turkmenistan-China natural gas pipeline, has also won government approval to become an import point for and automobiles.

The government also plans to encourage Chinese and international airlines to open new routes to neighbouring countries and speed up construction of rail lines linking Xinjiang with Uzbekistan and Pakistan, the statement said.


China plans new economic zones in Xinjiang border towns – The Express Tribune