Islamabad, 4 June 2024: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif set off on Tuesday for a five-day official visit to Beijing, China, from June 4 to June 8, following an invitation from Chinese Premier Li Qiang.
This visit marks Prime Minister Sharif’s first trip to China since assuming office earlier this year, underscoring the significance of Pakistan-China relations.
During his visit, Prime Minister Sharif will engage in high-level discussions with Chinese leadership, including President Xi Jinping, Premier Li Qiang, and Zhao Leji, Chairman of the Standing Committee of the National People’s Congress.
These meetings aim to jointly outline a comprehensive framework for enhancing bilateral ties and advancing the longstanding strategic cooperative partnership between Pakistan and China.
A key highlight of the visit is Prime Minister Sharif’s scheduled address at the Business-to-Business Forum.
The forum will see representatives from 79 Pakistani companies engage with their Chinese counterparts, fostering business connections and exploring opportunities for economic collaboration.
This initiative is part of a broader effort to deepen economic ties and leverage the potential for mutual growth and prosperity.
The visit also aims to build on the robust cooperation established through the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC).
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Over the years, both nations have engaged in high-level exchanges and productive collaboration on CPEC projects, maintaining strong coordination on international and regional matters.
Under the second phase of CPEC, Pakistan and China will work to implement key consensuses reached by their leaders. This includes aligning development strategies and policies, and expediting progress on mega projects such as the “ML-1” railway upgrade, Gwadar Port development, and the Karakoram Highway Phase II renovation.
Last week, the Prime Minister Shehbaz presided over a meeting to develop plans for productive business-to-business meetings between the two countries.
He directed the relevant authorities to create strategies to attract Chinese industries to establish operations in Pakistan, assuring them of the government’s full support and facilitation.
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