Lahore: Chief Minister Punjab Maryam Nawaz Sharif has commenced a four-day official visit to China, where she was received by senior Chinese officials and diplomats at Urumqi International Airport. The visit began with high-level meetings in Xinjiang, reflecting the ongoing diplomatic engagement between the Punjab government and Chinese authorities.

According to Chief Minister of Punjab, the visit started with Maryam Nawaz Sharif being seen off by Chinese Consul General in Pakistan Sun Weidong at Lahore airport. Upon her arrival in Urumqi, she was welcomed by senior Chinese officials and diplomatic representatives. The chief minister’s schedule includes a series of meetings at the Kunlun Hall of the conference centre at the Xinjiang State Guest House.

During her engagements, CM Punjab met with a delegation led by Chen Xiaojian, secretary of the Communist Party of China in Xinjiang, and held discussions with He Zhongyou, deputy party secretary of the Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Regional Committee. The chief minister also engaged with a delegation from the Xinjiang Production and Construction Corps (XPCC).

A dinner was hosted in her honor by He Zhongyou, who also serves as secretary of the Party Committee and political commissar. Maryam Nawaz Sharif is staying at the Xinjiang State Guest House as an official guest of the Chinese government, marking a significant diplomatic interaction between the two regions.