ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Syed Yusuf Raza Gilani left here on Saturday on a two-day visit to China to attend Boao Forum for Asia Annual Conference 2012.
Minister for Information Dr Firdous Aishaq Awan, Minister for Finance Dr Hafeez Sheikh and Minister for Water and Power Naveed Qamar, accompanied the Prime Minister.
Talking to newsmen before his departure at Chaklala Air Base, the Prime Minister said Boao Forum is an important platform to promote economic activities in the region.
He said a number of important leaders of the region are attending the Forum that will provide a chance for exchange of views with them.
The conference is titled " Asia in the Changing World: Moving Towards Sound and Sustainable development", and is being held in Hainan Island of China from March 31.
The conference will be also attended by Iranian Vice President Muhammad Javad Muhammadizadeh, Kazakhstan's Prime Minister Karim Masimov, Prime Minister of Italy Mario Monti and Vice Premier of China Li Keqiang.
Gilani will address the plenary session of the Forum on April 2 as one of the keynote speakers.
The dignitaries, hailing from Thailand, Singapore, Vietnam, Malaysia, Indonesia, the US, Australia, India and Serbia will represent the respective countries in the deliberations of the Forum.
The Prime Minister during the visit will meet the Vice Premier of China on the sidelines of the Forum to further promote cooperation in the fields of economy, energy, infrastructure, defense, education and culture.
Gilani will also meet his Kazakhstan counterpart to review the progress regarding the decisions taken during his visit to the country last year.
The discussions are likely to focus on energy sector, TAPI, agriculture, aviation and defence sectors.
Gilani will also meet with the Italian Prime Minister to discuss bilateral relations, trade and science and technology.
The Prime Minister will meet the chairmen and corporate heads of leading Chinese financial, investment and energy sector organizations to articulate that Pakistan offers the best destination for foreign investors.
Gilani said his bilateral meetings on the sidelines of the Forum will be mainly to promote economic relations of Pakistan.
To a question, the Prime Minister said Energy Conference is being held in Lahore on April 9, and Punjab Chief Minister will be hosting this important conference to find out the solution to energy crisis.
He said the conference is being held in Punjab which indicates that Federal Government gives due importance to this province which is also affecting due to load-shedding.
Gilani, said the joint session of the Parliament is working to formulate a unanimously adopted resolution, so that it could come out with one voice.
He said after Salala incident, the government took immediate action and stopped the NATO supply and boycotted Bonn conference and constituted a National Committee of the Parliament to prepare recommendations on this issue.
For the first time, the Parliament, which is representative of the masses, will prepare the future foreign policy of the country, he added.
He said the foreign policy will be reflective of aspirations of people as their representative in the Parliament will discuss the recommendations of the National Security Committee.
He said opposition members, representatives of political parties and armed forces, held thorough discussion on the issue and it was decided that Parliament will be given the task to take final decision in formulating future foreign policy and the process is still under progress.
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