ISLAMABAD – Prime Minister Imran Khan on Thursday reached China on a four-day official visit where he will attend the opening ceremony of the Beijing Winter Olympics and hold key meetings.
He was received at Beijing Capital International Airport by Assistant Foreign Minister Wu Jianghao, Ambassador Wu Jie, and senior officials of the Embassy including Ambassador Moin ul Haque.
Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi, Finance Minister Shaukat Tarin, Planning Minister Asad Umar, Information Minister Chaudhry Fawad Hussain, National Security Adviser Dr Moeed Yousaf, Commerce Adviser Abdul Razak Dawood and Special Assistant on China Pakistan Economic Corridor Khalid Mansoor are part of the delegation led by the premier.
The premier is scheduled to hold meetings with President Xi Jinping, Premier Li Keqiang and other officials.
FM Qureshi in a statement said that several Chinese companies are desirous of making investments in Pakistan.
He said the visit will promote high-level exchanges between Pakistan and China and help further boost their relations.
Finance Minister Tarin said that the prime minister would propose the Chinese leadership to shift their industry in Pakistan’s Special Economic Zones to develop a win-win situation besides extending assistance in agriculture.
https://twitter.com/shaukat_tarin/status/1489142510584844288
Planning Minister Asad Umar in a tweet said that special book has been prepared to explain what makes Pakistan prime destination for investment.
“The pitch book put together with a focsed effort, making the case for Pakistan as a preferred investment destination. It covers the generic strengths of Pakistan, as well as specific priority sectors. PMIK will present this to Chinese leadership. Excellent work khalid mansoor,” Umar wrote.
The pitch book put together with a focsed effort, making the case for Pakistan as a preferred investment destination. It covers the generic strengths of Pakistan, as well as specific priority sectors. PMIK will present this to Chinese leadership. Excellent work khalid mansoor pic.twitter.com/PXDjg0wMMN
— Asad Umar (@Asad_Umar) February 3, 2022
NSA Moeed Yousaf hoped that the visit would provide an opportunity to discuss ways to bring peace in Afghanistan and eliminate terrorism.
Commerce Adviser Dawood said the meetings would the Chinese counterparts would focus on some areas of the Free Trade Agreement and trade of cement, rice, fruit and vegetables.
A day earlier, Foreign Office notified PM Imran Khan’s visit.
“Prime Minister Imran Khan will visit China from February 3-6 to attend the opening ceremony of the Winter Olympic Games,” the FO said.
As a global event, the Olympic Games foster mutual understanding, inclusivity and friendship among the peoples of the world. Beijing will soon become the first city to host both summer and winter editions of the Olympic Games.
“It is highly admirable that the Chinese government has made meticulous arrangements for holding the Winter Olympic Games despite the COVID-19 pandemic,” according to the statement.
The FO said during the visit, the prime minister would hold bilateral meetings with President Xi Jinping and Premier Li Keqiang. The leaders will review the entire gamut of bilateral relations, with a particular focus on stronger trade and economic cooperation including CPEC (China Pakistan Economic Corridor),” it said.
A number of Memoranda of Understandings (MoUs) and agreements will be concluded during the visit. In Beijing, the prime minister will also meet prominent business leaders of China and representatives of leading Chinese think-tanks, academia and the media.
He will also have other bilateral interactions on the sidelines. The two sides will also hold wide-ranging exchange of views on major regional and international issues.
The prime minister’s visit will mark the culmination of celebrations commemorating the 70th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between Pakistan and China, with more than 140 events organized to showcase the resilience of the All-Weather Strategic Cooperative Partnership amidst the COVID-19 pandemic and the unfolding international situation.
“It would thus renew the bilateral commitment to taking the iron-clad partnership between Pakistan and China to new heights and add impetus to cooperation across multiple domains,” the FO statement said.
