BEIJING: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Chinese President Xi Jinping agreed to strengthen multilateral cooperation in diverse areas including China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) and strategic partnership, between two countries.
The two leaders met at the People’s Great Hall of China and discussed broad-based cooperation in economy and investment besides exchanging views on regional and global developments.
PM Sharif and President Xi expressed the desire to further promote the All-Weather Strategic Cooperation Partnership between their countries.
Shehbaz Sharif, who arrived in Beijing Tuesday on a two-day official visit, is among the first leaders to visit China following the historic 20th National Congress of the Communist Party (CPC) of China that elected Xi Jinping as general secretary of the party.
Both the leaders exchanged views on regional and global developments. They also held discussions to further strengthen the strategic partnership between both countries.
Before departing for Beijing on November 1, the premier said that he was “honoured to be among the first few leaders to have been invited after the historic 20th National Congress of the CPC”.
He said that the second phase of CPEC is expected to usher in a new era of socioeconomic development that will improve the standard of living for our people.
The premier also said that there is a lot to learn from the Chinese economic miracle.
“At a time when the world is grappling with multiple challenges, Pakistan and China stand together as friends and partners,” he said.
A day before the visit, China warmly welcomed the PM’s visit and said it looked forward to further advancing high-level strategic cooperation between the two countries and bringing more fruitful outcomes from Sino-Pak friendship to the benefit of the two people.
Chinese Foreign Ministry Spokesperson, Zhao Lijian, said that no matter how the international or domestic situations had evolved, the China-Pakistan friendship had been carried on from generation to generation.
“Our two countries have always supported each other on issues concerning respective major interests and have stood together and helped each other in the face of major natural disasters,” he added.
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