ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Muhammad Nawaz Sharif arrived in China Wednesday morning on a five-day official visit, his first foreign trip since his party came to power in the May 11 general elections.
Sharif was accompanied by Chief Minister Balochistan Dr Abdul Malik Baloch, as well as Minister for Planning and Development Ahsan Iqbal and Special Assistant to the Prime Minister on Foreign Affairs Tariq Fatimi flew in a special Pakistan Air Force plane.
The Pakistani prime minister was welcomed at the airport by the Chinese deputy foreign minister.
Pakistan's ambassador to China Masood Khalid the premier's first official visit to China would further strengthen Sino-Pak strategic bilateral ties.
He said that, in his meetings the Chinese top leadership, Sharif would focus on Pakistan's power sector, the development of Pakistani infrastructure, and the promotion of bilateral trade and commerce between the two neighbours.
Sharif will meet with Chinese President Xi Jin Ping to discuss issues of regional and global importance and mutual interest, he said.
The prime minister is also scheduled to meet with top leaders and executives of Chinese financial institutions, he said.
Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi said earlier this week that Sharif's visit will "help promote pragmatic cooperation between the two countries."
He said his country is willing to work with the new Pakistani government to implement the consensus reached during Chinese Premier Li Keqiang's visit to Pakistan and the common views shared by the two countries' leaders.
Yi met with Sartaj Aziz, advisor to the Pakistani prime minister on foreign affairs and national security, on the sidelines of the ASEAN Regional Forum (ARF) in Bandar Seri Begawan, Burnei on Tuesday.
A number of agreements and memorandums of understanding between are expected to be signed by the two countries during Sharif's five-day visit.
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