BEIJING – China attached high importance to its State leader’s visit toPakistan, started on Friday, hoping it will bring the two countries’ morecloser for addressing the future challenges, mainly in socio-economicsector.
While significantly highlighting Foreign Minister Wang Yi’s visit toPakistan, Chinese media stated that his meetings with new leadership ofPakistan will consolidate cooperation and elevate the all-weather bilateralstrategic partnership.
This is the first high-level visit by a Chinese official to Islamabad sincethe new government of Prime Minister Imran Khan assumed office after theJuly 25 elections.
The visit by Wang YI, who is also designated as the State Councillor whichmakes him the top diplomat of China will reinforce China’s diplomaticstance giving priority to Pakistan in pursuing its geo-political strategyat the region and international level.
According to Chinese media’s reports, China and Pakistan are all-weatherstrategic and cooperative partners and these bilateral ties have beendeveloping with sound momentum.
The visit assumed high significance, since it comes two days after USSecretary of State Mike Pompeo visited the country and met the civil andmilitary leadership.
“Besides holding talks and a joint press conference with Foreign MinisterShah Mehmood Qureshi, Wang Yi will also meet with President of Pakistan, PMImran Khan, Speaker National Assembly and the Army Chief General QamarJaved Bajwa.
Both sides will exchange views on bilateral relations as well asinternational and regional issues of mutual interest.
The top most agenda of the FM’s talks with the Pakistani side will besmooth and repaid implementation of the CPEC, for which both thegovernmentS have agreed to work together to make it reality.
Earlier this week, Prime Minister Imran Khan constituted three more cabinetcommittees on economic affairs, including one on the China-PakistanEconomic Corridor (CPEC), as the new government starts discussions onre-prioritising CPEC projects.
The CPEC committee will be responsible for periodic review of the workprogram of all CPEC working groups, according to the terms of reference ofthe committee.