Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif Set for Five-Day Visit to China Starting Tuesday
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif is set to undertake an official five-day visit to China from June 4-8 at the invitation of President Xi Jinping and Premier Li Qiang, according to the Foreign Office (FO) on Friday.
During the visit, the prime minister will meet President Xi and engage in delegation-level talks with Premier Li in Beijing. Additionally, he will hold discussions with Zhao Leji, Chairman of the Standing Committee of the National People’s Congress, and heads of key government departments.
PM Shehbaz will tour economic and agricultural zones and address the Pakistan China Business Forum, as noted by the FO spokesperson.
A significant aspect of PM Shehbaz’s visit will be meetings with executives from leading Chinese companies in the oil and gas, energy, ICT, and emerging technologies sectors, the FO added.
Furthermore, the PM will address the China-Pakistan Business Forum, engaging with top businesspersons, entrepreneurs, and investors from both nations in Shenzhen. He will also visit Economic and Agricultural Zones in China.
The premier’s visit underscores the robust Pakistan-China friendship, characterized by frequent high-level exchanges and dialogue.
Both sides will discuss ways to strengthen the All-Weather Strategic Cooperative Partnership, upgrade the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor, advance trade and investment, enhance cooperation in security and defense, energy, space, science and technology, and education, and promote cultural cooperation and people-to-people contacts, thereby charting the future course of Pakistan-China relations.
Earlier today, PM Shehbaz chaired a meeting to review preparations for his upcoming visit to China. He emphasized the need for comprehensive plans to ensure productive business-to-business meetings between the two countries.
He directed relevant authorities to develop strategies to attract Chinese industries to establish units in Pakistan, assuring full government support to industrialists and investors.
The prime minister was informed that a delegation of industrialists, investors, and businessmen would accompany him to Shenzhen, China. This delegation will engage with the Chinese business community to foster business-to-business connections between the two countries.
PM Shehbaz instructed Pakistan’s Ambassador to China, Khalil Hashmi, to provide extensive support to the Pakistani business delegation during their visit.
The meeting was attended by Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar, federal ministers including Jam Kamal Khan, Ahad Khan Cheema, Rana Tanveer Hussain, Attaullah Tarar, Dr. Musaddik Malik, and Abdul Aleem Khan, Minister of State Shaza Fatima Khawaja, Special Assistant to the PM Tariq Fatemi, PM’s Coordinator Rana Ehsan Afzal, Deputy Chairman of the Planning Commission Jahanzeb Khan, and senior government officers. Planning Minister Ahsan Iqbal and Pakistan’s Ambassador in Beijing participated via video link.
