Islamabad (Web Desk): Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif set off for China on Saturday on the first leg of a four-day official tour focused on deepening bilateral ties and expanding investment cooperation under the second phase of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC).
Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Senator Ishaq Dar, Planning Minister Ahsan Iqbal, Information and Broadcasting Minister Attaullah Tarar, IT Minister Shaza Fatima Khawaja, and Special Assistant Tariq Fatemi are accompanying the premier.
During his stay in Hangzhou, the prime minister is expected to meet the Party Secretary of Zhejiang Province and attend a business forum arranged to enhance collaboration between Pakistani and Chinese enterprises within the framework of CPEC Phase-II. He will also witness the signing and exchange of several agreements and Memorandums of Understanding (MoUs).
PM Shehbaz is scheduled to hold discussions with executives of leading Chinese firms. As part of the visit, he will tour the headquarters of Alibaba and take part in a ceremony related to the signing of cooperation agreements.
Following his engagements in Hangzhou, the prime minister will travel to Beijing for meetings with Chinese President Xi Jinping and Premier Li Qiang. He is also due to participate in an event commemorating 75 years of diplomatic relations between Pakistan and China.
The prime minister will meet representatives of major Chinese companies and visit the China Academy of Agricultural Sciences (CAAS).
As per the officials, the visit will help create new opportunities for Pakistan-China cooperation, especially in the fields of trade, investment and industrial partnerships under the CPEC Phase-II.