BEIJING: On Friday, Prime Minister Imran Khan met Chinese President Xi Jinping in Beijing. This is the first official visit of Imran Khan to China after assuming Pakistan’s top office.
The main aim of visiting China for four days is to review the complete range of bilateral relations. Moreover, he also wanted to participate in First China International Import Expo in Shanghai. Furthermore, Prime Minister of Islamic Republic of Pakistan, Mr. Imran Khan and Chinese President Xi Jinping want to make several agreements and MoUs in diverese fields.
This meeting has been held at the Great Hall of the people in Beijing’s Tiananmen Square. High level delegations from both sides have taken part in this meeting. According to agencies, PM Khan has told about the poor economic conditions of the Pakistan to President Xi.
“Its been only two months my party is in power. Unfortunately, we are going through a very difficult economic situation,” said PM Imran Khan.
“Countries have their low points and high points. Unfortunately, at this time, we are going through a low point. We are facing two very big deficits in our country, one is fiscal deficit and the other is current account deficit”.
Furthermore, the meeting is aimed to discuss about CPEC (China Pakistan Economic Corridor) Projects as well and how to make more stronger bilateral relations. So, PM Imran Khan took the Chinese premier into confidence regarding investments from the other countries of the world in CPEC project.
Expectations from the visit of PM Imran Khan to China:
- It is expected to get $6 billion economic packages from china
- A loan of $1.5 billion
- Additional Package of $3 billion for CPEC
Foreign minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi was accompanying PM Imran Khan with his Chinese counterpart Wang Yi. Shah Mehmood Qureshi wanted to meet Chinese Premier Li Keqiang, so that both the leaders could be able to sign the Memorandums of Agreements between the two countries.
He scheduled a meeting with Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank President Jin Liqun, Chinese Premier Li Keqiang and Minister for International Department of the Central Committee Communist Party of China Song Tao during his visit as well.
On Thursday night, PM Imran Khan came to China. Chinese Transport Minister Li Xiaopeng and Ambassador to Pakistan Yao Jing has received PM Imran Khan on Beijing International Airport.
The group of officials welcome PM Imran Khan in which Pakistani Ambassador to China Masood Khalid was also present.
PM Imran was accompanied by Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi, Finance Minister Asad Umar, Planning and Development Minister Khusro Bakhtiar and Railways Minister Sheikh Rashid. In addition to that, PM Imran Khan has been accompanied by his commerce, textiles and investment advisory, Mr. Abdul Razak Dawood and the Chief Minister of Balochistan Jam Kamal during his visit to China.
PM Imran Khan has been scheduled his meeting with the Chinese President Xi Jinping on November 2. And on November 3, he will visit to the chairman of the National People’s Congress.
The PM Imran Khan will speak at the Central Party School on November 4 before leaving to Shanghai in regards to participate in the first China International Import Expo.
More than 2,800 companies from 130 countries and regions and 160,000 buyers from over 80,000 Chinese and foreign companies will participate in the expo.
On Wednesday, a Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson said that the visit of PM Imran Khan to China would be of great importance for both China and Pakistan and also, the joint efforts of both sides would promote further relations between the all-weather strategic partners.
In Beijing, Lu Kang, the Chinese Foreign Ministry Spokesperson, during his regular briefing said that PM Imran Khan had his first official visit to China after he took office in which both the leaders conduct in-depth discussion on the common issues. He added, China and Pakistan were all-weather strategic partners. The relationship between both countries would remain the same and would not be affected by any of the international situations and their domestic situations.
