China Southern Airlines begins three flights to Islamabad

ISLAMABAD: China Southern Airlines has inaugurated its three flights between Islamabad-Kunming-Guangzhou on weekly basis with the commitment to help both sides ensure air connectivity for promoting people-to-people contacts.

This was announced in a ceremony organised by China Southern Airlines here at a local hotel on Thursday night.

The Minister Counsellor for Chinese Embassy in Islamabad Dr Wang Zhihuai said on this occasion that this new route would become fourth one between the two countries. He said that this air connectivity would significantly contribute towards enhancing exchange of visits between the two countries. “It will help promote people-to-people contacts and enhance trade as well as economic ties,” he maintained.

He said that around 500,000 Pakistani students visit China every year as currently 22,000 Pakistani students are studying in China on scholarships. The number of visitors from China, he said, are also increasing in Pakistan and opening up of this new route would definitely boost bilateral relations between the two sides.

He said that CPEC strengthened relations in every aspect of life. He said the CPEC had entered into new and second phase as currently more than 400 companies and 20,000 Chinese workforce are working in Pakistan. He said that over 2,000 Pakistani businessmen visited China in 2019 and many were participating in different export and import promotion exhibitions.