Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif embarked on an official five-day visit to Beijing, China, on June 4 in response to an invitation from China’s Prime Minister Li Qiang. This marks his first official visit to China since assuming office earlier this year.
During his visit, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif is scheduled to engage in discussions with several top Chinese leaders, including President Xi Jinping, Prime Minister Li Qiang, and Chairman of the Standing Committee of the National People’s Congress Zhao Leji. The primary focus of these discussions will be to collectively outline a framework for strengthening the bilateral ties between Pakistan and China.
One of the key events during the visit will be the Business-to-Business Forum, where representatives from 79 Pakistani companies are expected to engage with their Chinese counterparts. The visit aims to further develop the strategic cooperative partnership between the two nations and explore new avenues for mutual growth and cooperation.
The visit also holds significance in the context of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), with plans to accelerate progress on mega projects such as the “ML-1” upgrade, Gwadar Port, and the Karakoram Highway Phase II renovation under the second phase of CPEC. The CPEC project has played a crucial role in Pakistan’s economic and social development, bringing in significant direct investment, creating job opportunities, and contributing to infrastructure development.
Furthermore, the visit seeks to enhance collaboration in various sectors, including industry, agriculture, mining, energy, and information technology, while also promoting trade liberalization between the two countries.
In preparation for the visit, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif presided over a meeting to devise comprehensive plans for conducting productive business-to-business meetings between Pakistan and China. He emphasized the need to attract Chinese industries to establish operations in Pakistan and assured them of the government’s complete support and facilitation.
Overall, the visit holds promise for strengthening the longstanding ties between Pakistan and China and exploring new avenues for collaboration and cooperation in various areas of mutual interest.
