Gwadar Port Free Zone
During Premier Li Keqiang's visit to Pakistan in May 2013, China and Pakistan agreed to build the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor to promote energy and transportation infrastructure development, among other projects. During President Xi Jinping's visit in April 2015, closer bilateral cooperation was again highlighted. A key element of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor and an essential component of the Gwadar Port development project, the free zone aims to improve trade logistics, facilitate processing trade, and promote warehousing and financial services.
According to the project plan, the free zone will occupy an area of 923 hectares and be developed in four phases. The first phase opened for operation in January 2018. The China Overseas Ports Holding Ltd. had invested nearly US$250 million and built a 25-acre modern industrial park complete with roads, water pipes, electricity, communications, security fence and waste disposal facilities. More than 30 Chinese and Pakistani enterprises have moved in, with 3 billion yuan of direct investment. These include hotel, bank, insurance, financial leasing, logistics, overseas warehousing, grain and oil processing, aquatic product processing, and home appliances assembly. Their yearly output value will exceed 5 billion yuan once they all come into operation.
The free zone will be modeled after the Shekou Industrial Zone in Shenzhen, China, comprising a port, an industrial park, and residential and business areas. Once completed, the free zone will spur economic growth in Balochistan and the rest of Pakistan.
瓜達爾港自由區
2013年5月，在李克強總理出訪巴基斯坦過程中，雙方同意共同建設“中巴經濟走廊”，開展能源、交通基建等多個方面的合作。2015年4月，習近平主席出訪巴基斯坦，進一步推進兩國合作事宜。作為“中巴經濟走廊”重點項目之一和瓜達爾港開發項目的重要組成部分，瓜達爾港自由區將以港口為依托，重點發展商貿物流、加工貿易、倉儲和金融等產業。根據建設規劃，瓜達爾港自由區總占地面積約為923公頃，分四期進行建設。一期項目（起步區）已于2018年1月舉行開園儀式。中國海外港口控股有限公司投入近2.5億美元，在短短一年之內完成了面積25英畝，集合路、水、電、通訊、安全圍網、垃圾處理等功能的現代園區建設。目前，酒店、銀行、保險公司、金融租賃、物流、海外倉、糧油加工、漁業加工、家電組裝等30多家中、巴企業已入駐園區，直接投資額超過30億人民幣。入駐企業全部投產后，年產值將超過50億人民幣。瓜達爾港自由區將采用類似深圳蛇口的建設模式，形成一個包括“港口+園區+城區”的綜合體。建成后的瓜達爾港自由區將帶動俾路支省乃至巴基斯坦全國的整體發展。
