Pakistani Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto Zardari (left) and Xie Guoxiang, Minister Counselor at the Chinese Embassy in Pakistan. Photo: Chinese Embassy in Pakistan

Pakistani Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto Zardari will pay a two-day visit to China from Saturday at the invitation of Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi, the first in-person high-level interaction between the two countries since the establishment of Pakistan's new government in April, the Chinese Foreign Ministry announced on Friday.

This is Bilawal's first official visit to a foreign country after he took up the post in April, and will realize his wish to make China the first destination of his visit, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Wang Wenbin told a press conference on Friday.

A statement released by Pakistan's Ministry of Foreign Affair stated during the first bilateral visit abroad since assuming office last month, Bilawal will hold extensive consultations with Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi, during which they will review the entire gamut of bilateral relations, with a particular focus on stronger trade and economic cooperation between Pakistan and China. 

Fast-tracked progress on the transformational China-Pakistan Economic Corridor, a flagship project of President Xi Jinping's visionary Belt and Road Initiative, will also feature in the discussions. The two sides will also have wide-ranging exchange of views on major regional and international issues, the statement reads. 

The Global Times learnt from the Pakistani Embassy in Beijing that Bilawal is expected to arrive in China late Saturday and official activities will start from Sunday morning. 

The foreign minister's visit is part of the high-level exchanges between China and Pakistan, which recently also included message of felicitations to the Pakistani Prime Minister from Chinese Premier Li Keqiang, and telephone conversation between the two premiers on May 16, 2022.

On April 27, the day Bilawal was sworn in, he visited the Chinese Embassy in Pakistan to send condolences to the Chinese victims of the terror attack at the Confucius Institute in the University of Karachi in Pakistan.

He said that Pakistan strongly condemns terror attacks that target Chinese citizens and Pakistan's cabinet has decided to enhance security for Chinese citizens, Chinese projects and institutions in Pakistan.

The friendship between China and Pakistan has a long history. China has helped Pakistan many times and contributed largely to Pakistan's development. Pakistan would not allow any force to hurt the two countries' all-weather friendship and cooperation, Bilawal stressed.

On Wednesday, Bilawal flew to New York to attend a ministerial meeting at the UN headquarters and met with US Secretary of State Antony Blinken, US media reported.

Wang Wenbin said that as "all weather" strategic cooperative partners, it is necessary for China and Pakistan to improve communication and coordination on major issues to deal with changes in the region and risks and challenges. 

China hopes to use this visit as an opportunity to carry on with the traditional friendship with Pakistan, consolidate strategic mutual trust, and further deepen the all-weather comprehensive strategic partnership to build a closer China-Pakistan community with a shared future, said the Chinese spokesperson. 

Pakistan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs also said the Pakistani foreign minister's visit will contribute toward further fortifying the time-tested All-Weather Strategic Cooperative Partnership between Pakistan and China, enhance and deepen CPEC-related engagement, and help in identifying new avenues for bilateral cooperation to the benefit of the two countries and peoples.

This Saturday, May 21, also marks the 71st anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and Pakistan. 

Ever since Shahbaz Sharif was elected Pakistan's new prime minister, he has highlighted the friendship between Pakistan and China, which was also echoed by the Chinese Foreign Ministry.

Two days after Sharif was sworn into office, he met with the charge d'affaires of the Chinese embassy in Pakistan. Analysts said that China-Pakistan relations are expected to remain the key focus of the two countries.

Global Times

Graphic: Xu Zihe/GT

 

Graphic: Xu Zihe/GT

 

Graphic: Xu Zihe/GT

 

Graphic: Xu Zihe/GT