PM Shehbaz Sharif departs for four-day China visit to advance CPEC and trade ties

Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif departed for China on Saturday for a four-day official visit focused on deepening economic ties and expanding cooperation under the second phase of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC).

The visit will take him to Hangzhou and then Beijing, where he is scheduled to meet President Xi Jinping and Premier Li Qiang. The trip comes as both countries mark the 75th anniversary of diplomatic relations.

What will PM Shehbaz do during the China visit?

Sharif will begin in Hangzhou, where he is scheduled to meet senior provincial leadership and attend a business forum focused on strengthening partnerships between Pakistani and Chinese companies.

He is also expected to visit the headquarters of Alibaba Group, where several cooperation agreements are expected to be signed. The visit will conclude in Beijing with high-level meetings with Chinese President Xi Jinping and Premier Li Qiang.

Who is travelling with PM Shehbaz to China?

Senior cabinet members accompanying the prime minister include Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar, Planning Minister Ahsan Iqbal, Information Minister Attaullah Tarar, and IT Minister Shaza Fatima Khawaja.

What is the focus of CPEC's second phase?

Officials say CPEC's second phase is expected to shift emphasis toward industrial cooperation, technology transfer, agriculture, and business-to-business investment.

China has already invested billions of dollars in Pakistani infrastructure, energy, and transport projects under the first phase of CPEC, a flagship component of Beijing's Belt and Road Initiative. Pakistan regards China as its closest strategic and economic partner.