ISLAMABAD - Chinese Vice President Wang Qishan will arrive in Islamabad tomorrow on a two-day official visit to Pakistan to discuss the bilateral ties and regional issues, officials said on Friday.
During the visit, the Chinese Vice President will call on President Arif Alvi and Prime Minister Imran Khan, said an official statement.
Pakistan and China will sign Memorandums of Understanding and agreements and inaugurate projects to enhance bilateral cooperation in a broad range of areas, it said.
The visit of the Chinese Vice President underscores the vitality of the time-tested and all-weather relationship between Pakistan and China. It will reinforce the strength of bilateral ties and impart further impetus to the growing, multi-faceted cooperation between the two countries in diverse fields, the statement said.
The visit is in continuation of the high-level exchanges between the two countries, which have acquired an increased momentum since the Prime Minister’s visit to China in November last year and his participation in the 2nd Belt and Road Forum in Beijing in April this year, said the foreign office statement.
Vice President Wang Qishan is a member of 13thNational People’s Congress of China and Central Foreign Affairs Commission, a key Foreign Affairs body of the Communist Party of China. Under the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor - a collection of infrastructure projects that are currently under construction throughout Pakistan – China is investing more than $ 62 billion in Pakistan.
CPEC is intended to rapidly modernize Pakistani infrastructure and strengthen its economy by the construction of modern transportation networks, numerous energy projects, and special economic zones.
On November 13, 2016, CPEC became partly operational when Chinese cargo was transported overland to Gwadar Port for onward maritime shipment to Africa and West Asia,while some major power projects were commissioned by late 2017.
A vast network of highways and railways are to be built under the aegis of CPEC that will span the length and breadth of Pakistan.
CHINA WELCOMES PAK-INDIA PMS INTERACTION
APP adds: China on Friday welcomed the interaction between Prime Minister Imran Khan and his counterpart Narendra Modi stating both Pakistan and India were South Asia’s important countries and harmony between them served their common interests as well as of international community.
“China has noted the interaction between the two leaders and we welcome that,” Lu Kang, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman said during his routine briefing held in Beijing.
He observed that both Pakistan and India were important countries in South Asia and harmony between them served interests of both sides and it was also the common aspiration of the international community. “We hope both sides can continue to show goodwill, meet each other halfway, resolve differences through dialogue, improve their relations and jointly uphold peace and stability of the region.”
Responding to a question about the victory of National Democratic Alliance led by Indian Prime Minister Modi in the election of Lok Sabha, the Lower House of Indian Parliament, the spokesman said that China congratulated Modi on winning the election. He said that Chinese President Xi Jinping also sent him a congratulatory message.
The spokesperson said that China and India were important neighbours to each other and it attached high importance to the bilateral relations with India.