Pakistan seals major deal with China to upgrade key rail link under CPEC

Pakistan has finalized financial terms with China to upgrade the Main Line-1 (ML-1) railway, seen as a crucial infrastructure project as part of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) which is set to transform the country's transportation sector.

Valued at 6.8 billion U.S. dollars, the ML-1 project aims to modernize Pakistan's aging infrastructure, with a primary focus on upgrading the crucial rail link connecting southern Karachi and northwestern Peshawar. This is expected to slash travel times and boost the efficient movement of passengers and cargo across the country.

The financing deal was reached at a recent CPEC meeting held just ahead of Chinese Premier Li Qiang's trip to Pakistan, where he is attending the 23rd Meeting of the Council of Heads of Government of Member States of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) on Tuesday and Wednesday.

Launched in 2013, the CPEC, a flagship project of the China-proposed Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), is a corridor linking the Gwadar Port in southwest Pakistan's Balochistan province with Kashgar in northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, which highlights energy, transport, and industrial cooperation.

As part of Pakistan’s border connectivity strategy with Central Asia, the ML-1 upgrade is expected to strengthen the country’s internal logistics network and create new investment and trade opportunities by providing seamless rail and road access to Central Asian states through Pakistan’s northern regions.

Experts believe China's substantial investment in CPEC is helping Pakistan lay a solid economic foundation and unlock significant opportunities.

"Previously, it was only the road network that was being connected. Now, it has also been decided that the railway [network between] the SCO member states also would be connected. In that context, Pakistan's project under CPEC, the ML-1, which means 'Main Line 1' that goes from Peshawar to Karachi, is being upgraded," said Babar Amin, Pakistan's First National Coordinator for the SCO, and also former Pakistani Ambassador to Norway.

"As far as the ML-1 project is concerned, this will be a very important project signed under the SCO because I think it will be the first major project and the first major initiative undertaken by the SCO," said Dr. Uzma Siraj, head of the international relations department at the Federal Urdu University.

The project is expected to stimulate economic activity, advance regional collaboration, and expand trade opportunities between South Asia, Central Asia, and beyond, further elevating the geo-economic importance of China's Belt and Road Initiative with Pakistan serving as a key transit hub.

Pakistan seals major deal with China to upgrade key rail link under CPEC

Commemorations honoring Chinese People's Volunteers (CPV) martyrs were held on the banks of the Yalu River in Dandong, Liaoning Province on Tuesday as part of ongoing tributes to those who fought in the War to Resist U.S. Aggression and Aid Korea (1950-1953).

The event was held to mark the return of the remains of 12 CPV martyrs, who were killed in the war, from the Republic of Korea (ROK) on Wednesday.

This will be the 13th such repatriation of CPV remains following the handover agreement between the two countries. Since 2014, the remains of 1,011 soldiers have been returned to China from the ROK, according to China's Ministry of Veterans Affairs.

More than 170 representatives, including veteran CPV soldiers, relatives of the martyrs, active-duty personnel, students, and other from various sectors of society, attended the event.

People boarded a ferry which slowly sailed down the Yalu River. Inside the cabin, all present stood in solemn silence as the national anthem of the People's Republic of China was played, and observed a moment of silence in honor of the CPV martyrs.

Then, they walked to the ship's railings one by one and scattered flower petals into the river to pay tribute to the martyrs.

"We, the CPV, went abroad to fight to defend our motherland, the people, and our good life and to resist U.S. imperialist aggression against the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK). I hope that our young comrades and students today will study hard and make contributions to our motherland," said Hu Changzhe, a CPV veteran.

"I feel deeply moved as these veteran soldiers are heroes who once fought for our country. Now, standing by the Yalu River, looking back on their past and remembering their comrades, they must be deeply touched," said Hong Jialu, a student at a branch of Liaoning Province Shiyan High School.

At the event, 10 student representatives from primary and middle schools read aloud a letter to express their reverence and remembrance for the heroic martyrs through their sincere words and heartfelt recitation.

The Korean War broke out in June 1950, eight months after the People's Republic of China was founded. At the request of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK), China sent 2.9 million CPV soldiers to assist the DPRK during the war, of whom more than 360,000 were killed or injured.

Commemorations held to pay tribute to CPV heroes in northeast China