ISLAMABAD, Feb. 3 (Xinhua) -- Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif said on Monday that the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) is a cornerstone for regional connectivity and the economic development of his country, the prime minister's office said in a statement.

During his visit to the provincial capital city Quetta of the country's southwest Balochistan province, the prime minister said that the "work on the completion of CPEC is progressing rapidly," adding that the initiative is playing a pivotal role in shaping Pakistan's future.

Sharif noted that flight operations have commenced at the China-aided New Gwadar International Airport, marking a step forward in enhancing Balochistan's connectivity with the rest of Pakistan and the world.

Talking about the role of Gwadar port in the province's future development, Sharif said that it has the potential to transform Balochistan into a key trade hub.

"Gwadar Port will play a pivotal role in connecting Pakistan with Central and Southeast Asia and the rest of the world," he said.

Launched in 2013, CPEC, a flagship project of the China-proposed Belt and Road Initiative, is a corridor linking Gwadar Port in Balochistan with Kashgar in northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, which highlights energy, transport, and industrial cooperation in the first phase, while in the new phase, it expands to fields of agriculture and livelihood, among others. Enditem

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