ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif will undertake an official visit to China from August 30 to September 4 to attend the 25th Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Council of Heads of State Summit in Tianjin.
According to a statement by the Foreign Office, the Prime Minister will hold important meetings with Chinese President Xi Jinping and Premier Li Qiang to review and strengthen bilateral cooperation.
During his visit, PM Shehbaz will also attend a military parade in Beijing, marking the 80th anniversary of the World’s Anti-Fascist War, alongside President Xi and other global leaders.
The Prime Minister is scheduled to engage with leading Chinese businessmen and executives to boost trade, investment, and economic collaboration between the two countries. He will also address the Pakistan-China B2B Investment Conference in Beijing.
The Foreign Office stated that this visit is part of ongoing high-level exchanges aimed at deepening the “All-Weather Strategic Cooperative Partnership”, advancing the second phase of CPEC, and enhancing communication on key regional and global issues.
The three-day SCO Summit will be held from August 31 to September 2, and is expected to be the largest since the organization’s founding in 2001. According to the Chinese Foreign Ministry, the SCO has become an important force in shaping new international relations.
World leaders, including Russian President Vladimir Putin and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, along with heads of state from Central Asia, the Middle East, South Asia, and Southeast Asia, are expected to attend.
The theme for this year’s summit is: “Upholding the Shanghai Spirit: SCO on the Move.” Discussions will focus on regional security, economic cooperation, trade, and the SCO’s long-term strategic direction.
Founded in 2001, the SCO has expanded from six founding members to 10 permanent members and 16 observer and dialogue partners, broadening its agenda from security and counter-terrorism to economic, strategic, and military cooperation.