Islamabad has invited Saudi Arabia to become the third partner in the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), Information Minister Fawad Chaudhry said on Thursday.

The announcement comes on the back of a two-day trip to Saudi Arabia by Prime Minister Imran Khan. Fawad Chaudhry said that he expected Saudi Arabia to invest in Pakistan.

“Saudi Arabia is the first country whom we have invited as third country partner in CPEC,” Chaudhry said. Beijing has pledged to build power stations, major highways, new and upgraded railways and higher capacity ports, to help turn Pakistan into a major overland route linking western China to the world.

Chaudhry said that a Saudi delegation will be coming to Pakistan in the first week of October, including the Saudi minister for finance and energy, and that should lay down a “foundation for a very big partnership”.

Imran Khan’s term began with new doubt over the CPEC projects. Pakistan has in the past suggested that other countries could join CPEC.