HANGZHOU: Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif has commenced his four-day official visit to China, starting in Hangzhou, accompanied by a delegation that includes Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar and other key ministers. According to Radio Pakistan, the visit aims to bolster economic and strategic ties between Pakistan and China.

While in Hangzhou, Prime Minister Sharif is scheduled to engage with the Party Secretary of Zhejiang Province and participate in a business forum designed to enhance cooperation between Pakistani and Chinese companies under the second phase of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC). The agenda includes a ceremony for the exchange of agreements and memoranda of understanding, and meetings with CEOs of leading Chinese firms. Additionally, he plans to visit Alibaba’s headquarters for a signing ceremony on cooperation memoranda.

Following his engagements in Hangzhou, the Prime Minister will travel to Beijing. There, he is expected to hold discussions with Chinese President Xi Jinping and Premier Li Qiang. The visit coincides with an event marking the 75th anniversary of diplomatic relations between the two nations. Further meetings with major Chinese companies and a visit to the China Academy of Agricultural Sciences (CAAS) are also on the Prime Minister’s itinerary.