–Qureshi discusses PM’s upcoming visit to China with Pakistani ambassador, embassy officials
ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Imran Khan has changed the schedule of his China visit and will now be traveling to Beijing a day earlier – on November 1.
This would be Khan’s first visit to China in the capacity of the Pakistani prime minister. During the three-day visit, he would meet top Chinese leadership and discuss matters of mutual interest with them. National and international issues are also expected to be discussed.
Sources in the federal government have also confirmed that the prime minister would now fly on Thursday evening and land in Beijing during the wee hours of Friday.
“He is scheduled to have official meetings with Chinese President Xi Jinping and Prime Minister Li Keqiang. There would also be a delegation-level meeting in which various agreements would be signed by ministers of both the countries,” they added.
PM Khan is also to make a public appearance in Beijing as is likely to address an official gathering of the Chinese Communist Party (CPC) leaders at the CPC School.
On November 5, the premier would join top leaders of 18 countries at the 1st China International Import Expo (CIIE) in Shanghai.
The conference would be opened by Chinese President Xi Jinping and PM Khan would be making a keynote speech at the inaugural session as the guest of honour.
It is the first such expo China is hosting to enhance its imports from other countries and over 2,800 chief executives from G-20 countries will be attending it.
FOREIGN MINISTER:
Separately, Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi on Wednesday morning chaired a preparatory meeting for the PM’s upcoming visit to China through video-link with the Ambassador of Pakistan in Beijing and other senior officials of the Pakistani Embassy.
The foreign secretary, additional secretary (Asia Pacific), additional secretary (FMO) and director general (China) were also in attendance. The meeting discussed the significance of the visit as well as the programme, meetings, agreements to be signed and its overall objectives.
Emphasising the importance of the visit, the FM highlighted that Pakistan and China are “all-weather strategic cooperative partners”.
“The two countries are close friends, good neighbours and development partners. The bilateral relationship has withstood the test of times. Regardless of domestic or international changes, this close friendship has served as a model of state-to-state relations for other countries.”
He underscored that high-level contacts were an important facet of the bilateral relationship. “The visit will further strengthen the close and warm ties between the two brotherly countries,” he said.
The minister also highlighted that the bilateral relationship has been further strengthened particularly in the economic field by the launching of CPEC.
