Key Points
- Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif leaves for a four-day visit to China
- Talks to focus on CPEC Phase 2 and business-to-business cooperation
- PM to meet Chinese President Xi Jinping and Premier Li Qiang in Beijing
- Alibaba headquarters and the China Agricultural Academy among key stops
LAHORE: Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif departed for a four-day official visit to China on Saturday. The trip is expected to focus heavily on investment, technology partnerships and the next phase of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC).
According to the Prime Minister’s Office, the premier’s first trip is to Hangzhou, the capital of Zhejiang province.
Prime Minister Sharif is scheduled to meet the provincial Communist Party leadership and attend a business forum to promote cooperation between Pakistani and Chinese companies under CPEC Phase 2.
The Pakistani delegation includes Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar, Planning Minister Ahsan Iqbal, Information Minister Attaullah Tarar, IT Minister Shaza Fatima Khawaja and Special Assistant Tariq Fatemi.
The prime minister is also expected to witness the exchange of agreements and memoranda of understanding between Pakistani and Chinese firms. Meetings with executives of major Chinese companies are planned during the Hangzhou leg of the visit.
Among the notable engagements, Sharif will visit the Alibaba Group and attend a signing ceremony for cooperation agreements on technology and digital collaboration.
The second phase of the visit will take the Pakistani leader to Beijing, where he is scheduled to hold talks with Chinese President Xi Jinping and Premier Li Qiang.
The meetings are expected to review bilateral cooperation, regional developments and the expansion of economic ties as Pakistan seeks fresh Chinese investment in manufacturing, agriculture, information technology and infrastructure.
Sharif will also attend an event marking the 75th anniversary of diplomatic relations between Pakistan and China and hold meetings with additional Chinese corporate leaders.
The prime minister is further scheduled to visit the China Academy of Agricultural Sciences (CAAS) as Islamabad seeks deeper cooperation with Beijing in agricultural technology, seed development and food security.
Officials said the visit is expected to add “new dimensions” to Pakistan-China relations, particularly through enhanced industrial and business cooperation under CPEC Phase 2.
