BEIJING, Jan 16 (DNA):China on Thursday said it was pleased to handle the Afghan-bound transit cargo by Gwadar port as China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) was not only beneficial for both the countries but also for the regional connectivity and economic cooperation.

“We have noted the report. And we are pleased over new progress achieved by Gwadar port,”Chinese Foreign Ministry’s Spokesperson Geng Shuang said while responding to a question  during his regular briefing held here.

Gwadar Port, a key component of CPEC, has started handling transit cargo and the first Afghan shipment arrived this week.

“We support the Gwadar port in playing a big role in promoting regional goods and trade cooperation,”he said.

According to reports, the shipment will be loaded on trucks and sent to Afghanistan through the Pak-Afghan border at Chaman.

Afghanistan has relied on Pakistani land routes as well as its ports for international trade after a bilateral agreement, known as the Afghan Transit Trade Agreement (ATTA), signed with Islamabad.

The strategically-located Gwadar port became operational in 2016 after the Chinese investment. The deep seaport offers a shorter overland link to Afghanistan, particularly to southern regions of the country. DNA