KARACHI: China and Pakistan have sign an Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) for strengthening port and shipping connectivity and establishing cooperation between Guangdong Provincial Transportation Department and Karachi Port Trust.
The MoU was signed by KPT Chairman Vice Admiral Shafqat Jawed and People’s Republic of China Department of Transport Guangdong Province Director General Zeng Zhaogeng. The ceremony was also attended by Minister for Ports and Shipping Senator Kamran Michael, and other top officials of the ministry and KPT.
The agreement was signed, when a six-member delegation from China’s Guangdong Province, led by Vice Governor Liu Zhigeng, visited Karachi Port Trust.
The representatives from both the countries acknowledged the existing friendly relations between Pakistan and China and agreed to further strengthen the existing ties through cooperative activities as ports in Guangdong Province, China, and Karachi Port Trust, Pakistan.
The MoU envisages promoting cooperation in port and shipping logistics, strengthening communications and establishing closer ties between the two countries.
It was informed during the signing ceremony that both the Karachi Port Trust and Guangdong Province ports have agreed mutually to cooperate in the field of freight and logistics, especially in port and shipping industry, thus serving the import, export and transshipment of goods from Guangdong Province. They agreed on jointly studying policies for promoting the development in freight and logistics of both the signing parties of MOU for strengthening freight and logistics information connectivity for facilitating and accelerating Customs clearance for the reduction of companies’ logistics cost.
It was also agreed that both the parties will boost all round cooperation in investment and operation by the port logistics of their respective countries. With regards to improving professional and management skills of the managers of the port and shipping industry, it was agreed by Karachi Port Trust (KPT) and Guangdong Province ports to carry out professional education and training in the field of port and shipping and logistics.
Provision has been kept for further consultations on cooperation and other issues of common concern as both the parties have endeavoured to engage the administrative authorities and industry associations of the respective two countries for maintaining constant contact and for sending their representatives to visit each other for communication advancement.
