ISLAMABAD – Premier of the State Council of the People’s Republic of ChinaLi Keqiang Monday called Prime Minister Imran Khan and felicitated him onassuming the office.

The Chinese premier congratulated the prime minister on his party’s victoryin general election and forming the new government.

Premier Li said that Pakistan and China were all weather friends andexpressed the desire to work closely with Prime Minister Imran Khan tofurther strengthen the bilateral relations.He hoped that China-Pakistan Economic Corridor would be completed as perschedule.Prime Minister Imran Khan thanked Premier Li and people of China for theirgood wishes and said that Pakistan and China were close friends and strongpartners.

The strategic cooperative partnership between Pakistan and China would befurther strengthened during the PTI’s government.Imran Khan conveyed that he was keen to learn from Chinese experience inpoverty alleviation, anti-corruption and social sector reforms like healthand education as those were his government’s priorities for domesticreforms.The prime minister said that CPEC was a project of national significanceand would remain a priority during his government. He lauded the servicesof Chinese workers in the development of Pakistan.

The prime minister vowed to continue to closely coordinate with China onall regional and international issues of mutual concern.The Chinese prime minister extended an invitation to Imran Khan to visitChina. He thanked Premier Li Keqiang for his invitation and said that hewas eagerly looking forward to his first visit to China.

The prime minister also extended an invitation to Premier Li Keqiang tovisit Pakistan at his earliest convenience. – APP