ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif departed for China on Saturday for a four-day official visit aimed at strengthening bilateral strategic cooperation and expanding economic engagement between the two countries.
According to the Government of Pakistan, the prime minister left for Hangzhou in the first phase of the visit, accompanied by Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar, Planning Minister Ahsan Iqbal, Information Minister Attaullah Tarar, IT Minister Shaza Fatima Khawaja and Special Assistant to the Prime Minister Tariq Fatemi.
In a statement, Pakistan’s Foreign Office said the visit holds special significance as the two countries mark the 75th anniversary of diplomatic relations.
“The visit will provide an opportunity to reaffirm the abiding strength of the Pakistan-China All-Weather Strategic Cooperative Partnership and advance the shared vision of building an even closer Pakistan-China Community with a Shared Future,” the statement said.
During his stay in Hangzhou, Sharif is scheduled to meet the Party Secretary of Zhejiang province and chair the Pakistan-China B2B Investment Conference focused on information technology, telecom, Battery Energy Storage Systems (BESS), and agriculture.
The prime minister will also witness the signing of agreements and memoranda of understanding between companies from both countries.
Officials said Sharif is expected to meet executives of leading Chinese firms and visit the headquarters of Alibaba Group, where he will attend a ceremony for the signing of cooperation memorandums.
In the second phase of the visit, the prime minister will travel to Beijing for meetings with Chinese President Xi Jinping and Premier Li Qiang.
The two sides are expected to review cooperation in political, economic, and strategic sectors, with particular focus on the high-quality development of China-Pakistan Economic Corridor, trade, investment, industrial cooperation, agricultural modernisation, information technology, science and technology, and people-to-people exchanges.
The Foreign Office said the visit is expected to deepen political trust, strengthen strategic coordination, expand practical cooperation, and consolidate the longstanding friendship between Pakistan and China.