China visit to take bilateral ties to new heights: PM

Prime Minister Imran Khan on Wednesday expressed the confidence that his visit to China on Thursday would take the strong bilateral relations between the two countries to new heights.

He expressed these views while chairing a high-level meeting ahead of his upcoming four-day visit to China.

The prime minister was given a detailed briefing on projects related to China Pakistan Economic Corridor, Special Economic Zones, trade, information technology and agriculture.

The meeting was attended by federal ministers including Shaukat Tareen, Chaudhry Fawad Hussain, Asad Umer and Hammad Azhar, Commerce Adviser Abdul Razak Dawood, State Minister Farrukh Habib, National security Adviser Dr Moeed Yousaf, Special Assistant Shahbaz Gill and Khalid Mansoor.

Prime Minister Imran Khan, on the special invitation of the Chinese leadership, is visiting China from February 3 to 6, the Foreign Office said Wednesday.

“Prime Minister Imran Khan will visit China from February 3-6 to attend the Opening Ceremony of the Winter Olympic Games,” the Foreign Office said in a statement issued ahead of the visit.

The prime minister will be accompanied by a high-level delegation including members of the cabinet and senior government officials.

As a global event, the Olympic Games foster mutual understanding, inclusivity and friendship among the peoples of the world. Beijing will soon become the first city to host both summer and winter editions of the Olympic Games.

“It is highly admirable that the Chinese government has made meticulous arrangements for holding the Winter Olympic Games despite the COVID-19 pandemic,” according to the statement.

The FO said during the visit, the prime minister would hold bilateral meetings with President Xi Jinping and Premier Li Keqiang.

“The leaders will review the entire gamut of bilateral relations, with a particular focus on stronger trade and economic cooperation including CPEC (China Pakistan Economic Corridor),” it said.

A number of Memoranda of Understanding and Agreements will be concluded during the visit.

In Beijing, the prime minister will also meet prominent business leaders of China and representatives of leading Chinese think-tanks, academia and the media.

He will also have other bilateral interactions on the sidelines.

The two sides will also hold wide-ranging exchange of views on major regional and international issues.

The prime minister’s visit will mark the culmination of celebrations commemorating the 70th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between Pakistan and China, with more than 140 events organized to showcase the resilience of the All-Weather Strategic Cooperative Partnership amidst the COVID-19 pandemic and the unfolding international situation.

“It would thus renew the bilateral commitment to taking the iron-clad partnership between Pakistan and China to new heights and add impetus to cooperation across multiple domains,” the FO statement said.