China to build facilities at Pak's Torkham border crossing

China will build cold storage facilities and a hospital at the Torkham border crossing between Pakistan and Afghanistan to enhance trade and commerce in the region, Chinese ambassador to Islamabad Yao Jing has said.

Speaking with reporters on the sidelines of the two-day international conference on 'Belt and Road Initiative, Pakistan and China Economic Corridor and Trans-Regional Integration' here, the envoy said the border crossing, around 55 kilometers west of Peshawar, was "very meaningful" to boost trade.

"The functioning of the Torkham border crossing is very meaningful for expansion of trade in future," Yao said on Wednesday.

Yao termed the 24-hour functioning of the Torkham border crossing a very positive step and said China was ready to build customs, cold storage facilities and hospital there, the Dawn newspaper reported.

The Torkham border crossing was opened round-the-clock on a trial basis last Monday to enhance trade between Pakistan and Afghanistan.

Prime Minister Imran Khan and Afghan President Ashraf Ghani are expected to attend the formal crossing opening ceremony on September 14,the report said, quoting officials.

The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government has planned to announce several incentives for traders and provision of other facilities.