ISLAMABAD: Foreign Office hoped that Prime Minister Imran Khan’s visit to China from February 3-6, 2022, will renew the bilateral commitment to taking the iron-clad partnership between the two countries to new heights and add impetus to cooperation across multiple domains.

In a statement, the Foreign Office said that after receiving the special invitation of the Chinese leadership, Prime Minister Imran Khan will visit China from February 3-6, 2022 to attend the opening ceremony of the Winter Olympic Games.

The prime minister will be accompanied by a high-level delegation, comprising Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi, Minister for Information and Broadcasting Fawad Chaudhry, Minister for Planning and Development Asad Umar, Minister for Finance Shaukat Tarin, National Security Adviser (NSA) Dr Moeed Yusuf, Special Assistant to the Prime Minister on CPEC Khalid Masoor, and senior government officials.

During the visit, the prime minister will 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 the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC).

They will also have wide-ranging exchange of views on major regional and international issues, according to the statement.

The prime minister’s visit would mark the culmination of celebrations commemorating the 70th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between Pakistan and China, with more than 140 events organised to showcase the resilience of the All-Weather Strategic Cooperative Partnership amid 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,” it stated, adding that a number of MoUs and agreements would be concluded during the visit.

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,” the statement added.

While in Beijing, the statement added that the prime minister would also meet prominent business leaders of China and representatives of leading Chinese think-tanks, academia, and the media. The prime minister will also have other bilateral interactions on the sidelines, it added.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2022

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