ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has said Pakistan-China All-Weather Strategic Cooperative Partnership is a cornerstone of regional prosperity and stability.
In a statement via social media, the Prime Minister said that the historic and productive trip of Chinese Premier Li Qiang will further strengthen and deepen Pak-China relationship.
He added that they will review progress on existing initiatives, especially China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) and also explore new avenues of mutually beneficial cooperation during the trip of the Chinese Premier.
Earlier, Chinese Premier Li Qiang arrived in Islamabad Monday on a four-day visit to Pakistan. He was warmly received by Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif at the airport.
During his stay in Islamabad, Li Qiang will participate in the 23rd meeting of the Council of Heads of Government of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO). He will also be accompanied by ministers and top officials of the Ministries of Foreign Affairs and Commerce, the National Development and Reform Commission and the China International Development Cooperation Agency.
Shanghai Cooperation Organization
The foreign dignitaries have started to arrive in Islamabad to participate in an all-important session of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO). A four-member delegation of India, a 76-member team of Russia and a 13-member delegation of China have already arrived in Islamabad.
Meanwhile, the two-member delegation of Iran and the four-member delegation of Kyrgyzstan have also reached for the SCO moot. The SCO summit would take place on October 15 and 16 in the federal capital. According to the foreign office spokesperson, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif would preside over the SCO meeting.
The SCO, which comprises China, India, Russia, Pakistan, Iran, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, and Belarus, serves as a platform for discussing regional security, trade, and humanitarian issues.
The Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) was founded in 1996 by China, Russia, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Kazakhstan in order to build mutual trust among member nations, to encourage regional cooperation under the name “Shanghai Five”.
Active participation in the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) reflects Islamabad’s keen interest in regional peace, stability and socio-economic development. The forum provides a platform for Pakistan in order to explore greater economic relations and cooperation within the region in key areas such as investment, trade, innovation, energy, and entrepreneurship, transport and connectivity.
According to official website of Pakistan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, key priorities for Pakistan in SCO include cooperation in socio-cultural, economic, humanitarian spheres and other regional matters.
