ISLAMABAD: Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi is coming to Pakistan on Friday (Today) for a three-day official visit. That is two days after US State Secretary Mike Pompeo’s transit visit.
The state-run news agency APP quoted Chinese Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Hua Chunying. As said during a regular press briefing in Beijing that the Chinese foreign minister would be visiting Pakistan from Sept 7 to 9 at the invitation of Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi.
Besides meeting his Pakistani counterpart, Mr Wang is likely to meet Prime Minister Imran Khan and president-elect Arif Alvi. During his stay in Islamabad to have discussions on bilateral issues with focus on China Pakistan Economic Corridor projects.
“Wang Yi will also meet the main leaders of Pakistani side and exchange views on bilateral relations. Regional as well as international issues of mutual interest,” the spokesperson said without elaborating. It is not clear if the Chinese minister also plans to have meetings with the leaders of opposition parties. Including the PML-N and PPP.
Hua Chunying said China and Pakistan were all-weather, strategic and cooperative partners. And their bilateral ties had been developing at sound momentum.
“We have seen frequent high-level exchanges. And political cooperation is also moving forward. And there are rich outcomes from China Pakistan Economic Corridor.” the spokesperson reportedly said.
The visit of the Chinese FM has acquired significance as it is taking place days after a similar visit by top US officials. In which both countries agreed to reset their ties and reached an understanding that the Trump administration. And the new Pakistani government would try to deliver on each other’s expectations.
Know about CPEC
The CPEC is an ongoing development mega project which aims to connect Gwadar Port of Pakistan to China’s northwestern region of Xinjiang, via a network of highways, railways and pipelines. The economic corridor is considered central to China–Pakistan relations and will run about 2700 km from Gwadar to Kashgar.