PM Shehbaz begins China trip with focus on investment, CPEC cooperation

ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif departed for China on a four-day visit on Saturday as Islamabad seeks to deepen economic and strategic ties with Beijing.

During the visit, Prime Minister Sharif is scheduled to travel to the eastern Chinese city of Hangzhou, where he will meet the Communist Party Secretary of Zhejiang province and attend a business forum organised under the second phase of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor.

The prime minister is also expected to hold meetings with chief executives of leading Chinese companies and witness the exchange of agreements and memorandums of understanding aimed at boosting bilateral cooperation in trade, technology and investment.

As part of the visit, Sharif will tour the headquarters of Chinese technology giant Alibaba Group in Hangzhou.

The premier will later travel to Beijing for meetings with Chinese President Xi Jinping and Premier Li Qiang.

Sharif will also participate in events marking the 75th anniversary of diplomatic relations between Pakistan and China.

During his stay in Beijing, the prime minister is scheduled to visit the Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences as the two countries look to expand cooperation in agriculture, innovation and food security.

The premier is accompanied by a high-level delegation including 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 and others.