Written by: Feng Yang
Posted on: March 27, 2018 | 
Karamay City (Source: Energy Cities)
In May last year, the citizens of Karamay City, Xinjiang had a chance to taste overseas seafood, exported through Gwadar Port, Pakistan. In June, the first airfreight of seafood from the Arctic Ocean landed at Karamay, including the Arctic Cod Fish and Salmon.
Today, Karamay City, although far away from the ocean and located in the heart of Zhungar Desert, China’s second largest desert, has closely connected to other parts of the world. This is all due to the “One Belt and One Road” Initiative and China-Pakistan Economic Corridor construction.
After the seafood exported by air from Gwadar Port, Pakistan appeared at the local market of Karamay, the Arctic Ocean seafood from Oslo, Norway was also transported to Karamay for the first time. It added something new to the table of the people who live in the desert here.
In June, 2000 servings of the Arctic Ocean Seafood were served at restaurant tables along the Karamay Canal, an AAAA scenic spot of the city. In less than two hours, 2000 seafood dishes of Arctic Cod, Salmon, and Indian Ocean Pomfret were “swept away” by the local people. After enjoying the food, Mr. Zhang praised it, “The sea food dishes were delicious and fresh.”
“Overseas Seafood” will become a new business card for Karamay. At present, the State Administration for Entry-Exit Inspection and Quarantine of the People’s Republic of China, has authorized the entry list of Norwegian icy aquatic products, including Arctic Cod, Herring, Greenland Soles, Green Haddock and Haddock Sand Arctic Shrimps. In the future, with the opening of air routes, more varieties of seafood will be transported to Karamay to satisfy the needs of the local people.
Since overseas seafood came to the tables of Karamay, more and more WeChat messages have been circulating about them, and one of them even says with pride, “Xinjiang may be far away from the sea, but Karamay is very close to the sea.”
“One Belt and One Road” Initiative provides a new opportunity for the countries and regions along the Belt and Road, bringing cooperation and win-win development for Karamay.
Recently, Yufeiei International Fisheries Co., LTD, a Karamay business firm, which transported the seafood of Gwadar Port to Karamay by air, has successfully settled in the Free Trade Zone in Gwadar Port. It is the first Chinese enterprise that has been licensed in the Zone of Gwadar Port by the concerned Pakistan authorities. According to Luo Jun, managing director of the company, “One Belt and One Road” Initiative and China-Pakistan Economic Corridor construction creates the chance for the enterprises to go overseas. It’s the support of relevant units and departments of Karamay that has helped with the successful investment of Yufei International Fisheries Co., LTD in Gwadar Port. The project completion of the first phase will not only allow supply of seafood to China’s domestic market, but also promote the development of fisheries in local and surrounding areas. Indirectly, it may help in employment of more local people of Gwadar.
On April 20th, 2015, Karamay City, Zhuhai City of China and Gwadar Area of Pakistan agreed to establish sister-city relationships. According to the agreement, Karamay and Gwadar Area would carry out energy cooperation as the breakthrough point, while Zhuhai and Gwadar Area would start with port cooperation as the breakthrough point. According to Zou Xiehua, deputy secretary-general of CCP Karamay City Committee, since the agreement was signed, a series of economic, trade and cultural cooperation, and exchanges between the two cities have been launched. For example, Gwadar Area has sent 10 doctors and 12 teachers to Karamay for training. This has promoted the exchanges in culture and education between the two cities.
Karamay has successfully held several international conferences and exhibitions, such as the Silk Road Economic Belt-Xinjiang Karamay Forum and the Silk Road Science Festival. At present, Karamay City has formally established the international sister-city relationships with Uckutum of Russia, Aktau and Aqtobe of Kazakhstan, Gwadar Area of Pakistan and Ulaanbaatar of Mongolia. In September 2016, Karamay Campus of China University of Petroleum (Beijing) started its first school year. It is the first university directly affiliated with Chinese Education Ministry that has its campus in Xinjiang. At the same time, Karamay has also established cooperative relations with high-quality educational institutions at home and abroad, such as Beijing No. 11 School and Novosibirsk No. 3 Middle School of New Siberia, Russia. Karamay has become an important platform for exchanges and cooperation among the countries and regions along the Silk Road.
By taking advantage of the historic opportunities brought by “One Belt and One Road” Initiative and China-Pakistan Economic Corridor construction, Karamay attaches great importance to developing the export-oriented economy and helping more enterprises go abroad, believed to be the key to the transformation and upgrade of Karamay economy in the future.
In the near future, Karamay will make the best use of the platforms that it has established, like sister city relationships between Karamay and foreign cities, to strengthen exchanges and cooperation. Especially the friendly exchanges and economic cooperation between Karamay and its sister cities, such as Gwadar Port will be focused on as well as between Karamay and oil-producing regions and countries along the “Belt and Road.” This will allow the development of a more comprehensive system of export-oriented economy, for mutual benefits and win-win results, with the neighboring countries and regions along the Belt and Road.
Karamay is coming closer to the sea, and also closer to the world.
Translated by Tian Guiling
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