Imran's visit to provide opportunity to open fresh chapter of development: Chinese Foreign Ministry

BEIJING: Chinese Foreign Ministry on Monday said that the upcoming visit of Prime Minister Imran Khan would provide an opportunity for leaders of the two countries to open a new chapter of development of bilateral relations under the new circumstances.

Imran Khan will pay an official visit to China from Friday (November 2), on invitation of his Chinese counterpart Li Keqiang and President Xi Jinping. Chinese Foreign Ministry’s Spokesperson Lu Kang said during his regular briefing said the PM would attend China International Import Expo from November 5, in Shanghai.

The spokesperson said this would be his first visit to the largest neighbouring country after assuming the office.

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“This visit will provide an opportunity for the leaders of the two countries to open a new chapter of development of bilateral relations under the new circumstances,” he said when asked to share details of the visit by Pakistan’s state-run news agency.

He said during his visit, the Chinese president and prime minister would hold separate talks with Imran.

Lu Kang informed that the two sides would have an in-depth exchange of views on bilateral relations and cooperation and issues of common interests.

“Apart from official events in Beijing, PM Imran will also travel to Shanghai to attend first China International Import Expo,” he added.

Pakistan will participate in the China International Import Expo (CIIE) to be held in Shanghai as the guest of honour. Imran Khan will attend the opening ceremony of the CIIE, and deliver a keynote speech.

Lu Kang stressed that China and Pakistan were all-weather strategic cooperative partners, adding, “Our friendship dates back to a long time and our two sides enjoy very strong political mutual trust.”

He expressed the confidence that the bilateral relations between China and Pakistan would not be affected by a change in the international and the domestic situations.

“In recent years, both the countries enjoyed frequent high-level bilateral relations and our pragmatic cooperation have been deepened,” he added.

The spokesperson said the China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) had achieved the fruitful outcome and the friendship between the all-weather friends had become ever deeper to deeper.

He recalled that in July this year, general elections were held smoothly in Pakistan and the Pakistani new government reaffirmed that it wanted to deepen friendship with China.

“We hope the two sides can take this visit as an opportunity to deepen our cooperation across the board and to move forward all-weather cooperative partnership,” he added.