Islamabad (TDI): Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif embarked on a six-day official visit to China to take part in the 25th meeting of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) Council of Heads of State, scheduled to be held in Tianjin.
During the visit, the prime minister will meet Chinese President Xi Jinping and Premier Li Qiang for discussions on strengthening bilateral cooperation, according to the Foreign Office.
The PM is also expected to attend a military parade in Beijing, marking the 80th anniversary of the end of the World Anti-Fascist War, where he will join President Xi and other international leaders.
In addition, the premier will interact with leading Chinese business figures to encourage investment and trade, and he will address the Pakistan-China Business-to-Business Investment Conference in Beijing.
Read More: SCO Summit in Beijing Highlights China’s Push for Multilateralism
The Foreign Office noted that the visit is part of ongoing high-level contacts aimed at enhancing the “All-Weather Strategic Cooperative Partnership,” promoting the next stage of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), and keeping close coordination on major regional and global issues.
The three-day SCO summit will take place from August 31 to September 2. According to Chinese officials, this year’s gathering will be the largest since the organization’s creation in 2001, describing the SCO as an “important force for fostering new international relations.”
Leaders expected in Tianjin include Russian President Vladimir Putin, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, and heads of state from Central Asia, the Middle East, South Asia, and Southeast Asia.
Read More: SCO Summit Media Center Opens in Tianjin
With the theme “Upholding the Shanghai Spirit: SCO on the Move,” the summit will focus on regional security, economic ties, trade, and the organization’s future direction.
The SCO, originally established by six Eurasian countries as a security forum, has now expanded to 10 full members, along with 16 observer and dialogue partners. Its agenda has grown beyond counter-terrorism to cover broader economic and military cooperation.
Farkhund Yousafzai is an Associate Editor at The Diplomatic Insight.
