KASHGAR, CHINA – President Asif Ali Zardari visited the kashgar Free Trade Zone on Saturday, September 21st, 2025, underscoring it’s importance as a key trade and logistics hub in southern Xinjiang, China. ⁤ The zone represents a important component of regional economic cooperation.

Upon arrival,‌ President Zardari was welcomed by Yao Ning, the Communist Party Secretary of Kashgar, ‍and received a comprehensive briefing on the zone’s progress⁢ sence its⁣ establishment in 2015.

A Strategic Trade hub

The Kashgar Free Trade Zone spans 3.56 square kilometers and integrates bonded warehousing, logistics, processing, customs clearance, and air freight services. According to official data presented to the President,the zone currently maintains trade relationships with 118 countries.

Exports from the zone are diverse, encompassing⁤ electric vehicles, batteries, solar cells, high-tech⁣ goods, and automotive parts. ‍ The zone’s strategic location⁤ facilitates connectivity to ‍both Asia and europe via road, rail, and air, ‌supported by its own international airport.

Connectivity and infrastructure

Officials highlighted the⁢ zone’s ‍crucial ​links to Pakistan, specifically⁣ the Sost port in Gilgit-Baltistan, located approximately 400km⁤ away, and Gwadar port, situated 2,000km distant. both ports serve as vital conduits for imports ⁤and exports flowing through the Kashgar Free Trade zone.

Digital Trade and E-Commerce Expansion

President Zardari was⁤ also informed about the ⁢recently established digital trade centre, launched in 2024,‍ which currently houses‌ over 5,400‌ companies. Furthermore, the cross-border e-commerce ‍exhibition centre showcases a wide array of ​duty-free products originating ‍from⁤ Central Asia, Europe, and other‌ regions.