GPA, China’s Xinning Enterprise sign LoI to accelerate strategic investments in Gwadar Port

Islamabad: The Gwadar Port Authority (GPA) and Xinning Enterprise, a prominent Chinese industrial firm, signed a Letter of Intent (LoI) aimed at catalyzing large-scale industrial and commercial investments in Gwadar Port and its Free Zone.

The LoI, signed during a formal ceremony in Islamabad, reflects growing international confidence in Gwadar’s evolving role as a regional transshipment, industrial, and investment hub under the framework of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC).

The agreement was signed by Yi Jiang, representing Xinning Enterprise, and officially received by Umer Zaffar Shaikh, Additional Secretary at the Ministry of Maritime Affairs, on behalf of Chairman GPA Noor-ul-Haq Baloch, who joined the event virtually via Zoom.

The document outlines a broad strategic vision for collaborative ventures between the two sides. Proposed initiatives include development of Gwadar Port into a regional transshipment and logistics center, launch of new industrial and manufacturing projects, optimization of existing infrastructure within the Gwadar Free Zone and relocation of select industries to Gwadar to promote economic clustering and export-oriented growth.

The visiting Chinese delegation, led by Yi Jiang, who also serves as a Director at the All-China Federation of Industry and Commerce (ACFIC), held a comprehensive meeting with Federal Minister for Maritime Affairs, Muhammad Junaid Anwar Chaudhry, to discuss modalities for strengthening Gwadar’s operational capacity and global competitiveness.

During the meeting, Minister Junaid Chaudhry welcomed the partnership as a timely and transformative milestone, saying: “The collaboration with Xinning Enterprise will inject new momentum into Gwadar’s development, enhance its cargo throughput capacity, and attract sustainable foreign investment. This initiative aligns with the government’s strategic vision of transforming Gwadar into a gateway of prosperity for Pakistan and the wider region.”

He emphasized that such partnerships not only bolster infrastructure and trade but also contribute to job creation, technology transfer, and broader socio-economic uplift in Balochistan.

Both sides reaffirmed their commitment to compliance with Pakistan’s legal, regulatory, and environmental frameworks, ensuring that all activities align with the sustainable development goals and priorities of the Gwadar Master Plan.

They also pledged to maintain an environment of mutual trust and transparency, engage in further technical discussions, and establish joint working groups to finalize investment strategies and operational mechanisms.

Concluding the engagement, Minister Chaudhry reiterated the government’s resolve to position Gwadar as a globally competitive maritime and industrial center, stating: “Gwadar is not just a port—it is a symbol of connectivity, opportunity, and regional integration. We welcome responsible investors and partners like Xinning Enterprise, who share our long-term vision for Pakistan’s maritime and economic transformation.”