ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif is due to arrive in China on Saturday for a six-day visit to attend a regional summit and hold meetings with President Xi Jinping and Premier Li Qiang, with political, economic and investment ties topping the agenda.
Sharif’s visit, from Aug. 30 till Sept. 4, underscores the strong and multifaceted partnership between the two countries, which spans defense, diplomacy and economic cooperation.
China has long been Pakistan’s largest investor and its closest strategic ally, anchored by the multibillion-dollar China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC). Both sides are working to advance into “CPEC 2.0,” focused on industrialization, agriculture, energy and connectivity.
“Departing on a historic visit to China! Will participate in the SCO (Shanghai Cooperation Organization) Council of Heads of State Meeting in Tianjin,” Sharif said on X on Saturday morning. “I look forward to meeting H.E. President Xi Jinping and other world leaders to further build upon our bilateral ties with China.”
China has long sought to present the SCO as a counterweight to Western-led power blocs and has pushed for greater collaboration between its 10 members.
