Pakistan PM Shehbaz leaves for first visit to China next week

ISLAMABAD – Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif will leave for China on two-day-long official visit on Tuesday next week.

In a statement, the Foreign Office said that the premier will visit China on 1-2 November at the head of a high-level delegation, including Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto Zardari.

PM Shehbaz is undertaking the visit at the invitation of Li Keqiang, Premier of the State Council of the People’s Republic of China.

This would be prime minister’s first visit to China since assuming office in April 2022 and follows his meeting with President Xi Jinping in Uzbekistan on 16th September 2022.

The Pakistani PM will be among the first leaders to visit China following the historic 20th National Congress of the Communist Party of China.

His visit represents the continuity of frequent leadership level exchanges between Pakistan and China.

Shehbaz Sharif will meet with President Xi Jinping and hold delegation level talks with Premier Li Keqiang.

The two sides will review the All-Weather Strategic Cooperation Partnership and exchange views on regional and global developments.

The visit is also expected to advance the wide ranging bilateral cooperation agenda with the conclusion of a number of MoUs/Agreements in diverse areas, and consolidate the momentum of CPEC cooperation in the wake of the 11th meeting of the CPEC Joint Cooperation Committee (JCC) on 27th October 2022.