ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif will visit China next week with a high-level delegation to meet Chinese President Xi Jinping and hold delegation-level talks with premier Li Keqiang, the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) confirmed on Wednesday.
China is a key economic and political partner of Pakistan, pushing ahead with a nearly $60 billion China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) that will build infrastructure and give Beijing an outlet to the Indian Ocean, although Chinese interests have also faced attacks from separatists in recent months.
Last week, Pakistani media reported that Islamabad had requested Beijing to roll over its $6.3 billion in debts that are maturing over the next eight months as part of Islamabad’s plan to arrange up to $34 billion to meet its debt and external financing obligations this fiscal year.
“Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif will visit China on 1-2 November at the head of a high-level delegation, including Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto Zardari,” the PMO said in a statement.
The PMO said that the visit is expected to advance wide-ranging bilateral cooperation agenda and would also feature the conclusion of a number of Memorandum of Understandings (MoUs) and agreements in diverse areas.
The visit would also consolidate the momentum of CPEC cooperation in the wake of the 11th meeting of the CPEC Joint Cooperation Committee (JCC) on 27th October 2022, the statement added.
This would be PM Sharif’s first visit since assuming office in April 2022. It follows his meeting with the Chinese president in Uzbekistan on September 16, 2022.
“Prime Minister will be among the first leaders to visit China following the historic 20th National Congress of the Communist Party of China,” the statement said.
Sharif will also hold delegation-level talks with Premier Li Keqiang.
“The two sides will review the All-Weather Strategic Cooperation Partnership and exchange views on regional and global developments,” the statement read.
The Pakistani premier is likely to discuss a number of new projects and requests to roll over existing debt, considering sanctioning new debts and preferential trade treatment for certain exportable goods.
