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Friday, March 29, 2024

After Saudi Arabia, PM Khan to visit another friend-China

News Analysis |

PM Khan is set to pay a four-day official visit to China from 2nd November at the invitation earlier extended by the Chinese leadership.

During his first visit to China as PM of Pakistan, Mr. Khan will hold meetings with Chinese President Xi Jinping and Premier Li Keqiang. A high-level delegation including Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi will also be accompanying the premier.

On the sidelines of the Shanghai forum, Mr. Khan will hold meetings with other world leaders and leaders of the Chinese financial and corporate sector.

In his address to the nation on Wednesday night soon after coming back from Saudi Arabia with bailout package of $6 Billion, Mr. Khan had hinted that the government was already in talks with two other friendly countries and expecting more good news for the nation after which a big loan from the International Monetary Fund might not need to be sought as planned earlier.

The visit to China signifies the all-weather strategic partnership of Pakistan and China. The two sides during this visit will review the entire range of bilateral relations– which have enjoyed a long history of mutual trust and support– and are expected to sign several Agreements and memoranda of understanding (MoU) of Cooperation in diverse fields.

Read more: Implications of PM Khan’s Saudi visit: Beyond the $6 billion support

After Beijing, the Prime Minister will visit Shanghai to participate in First China International Import Expo, where Pakistan is exhibiting a wide range of export products.  PM Khan will be a keynote speaker at the inauguration of the Expo, Radio Pakistan reported.

On the sidelines of the Shanghai forum, Mr. Khan will hold meetings with other world leaders and leaders of the Chinese financial and corporate sector. As per media reports, PM Khan is expected to undertake a visit to Malaysia over the next few weeks too.

These rumors have allowed opponents to propagate conspiracy theories such as the threat of the vital CPEC project being “rolled back”.

As the government earlier said, analysts, believe Mr. Khan will take up the issue of financial assistance to the friendly countries, considering going to IMF the last option to get cash-strapped government out of the economic crisis. His visit to Saudi Arabia had proven to be of great value contrary to the mantras of the opposition parties particularly PML-N that used to live in the delusion that only it could garnish placid relationships with Saudi Arabia.

It is expected that PM Khan’s visit will only benefit the country but also the first time premier himself. PM Khan in his victory speech highlighted the Chinese success story of uplifting millions out of poverty and expressed his desire to emulate it.

Read more: Sixty years of Pak-China friendship

His visit may also allay concerns being raised that he is not as close to China as his predecessors were. These rumors have allowed opponents to propagate conspiracy theories such as the threat of the vital CPEC project being “rolled back”.

Meanwhile, all eyes are on PM Khan’s first visit to the all-weather friend ally China.