China-Pakistan Economic Corridor: PM to discuss socio-economic development aspects: Qureshi

Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi Wednesday said Prime Minister Imran Khan during his talks with Chinese leadership will discuss ways and means to achieve the socio-economic development aspects of China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) during his visit to China starting today.
The foreign minister was chairing a preparatory meeting for the Prime Minister's visit to China via video conference with the Ambassador of Pakistan in Beijing Masood Khalid and senior officials of the Embassy, according to Foreign Office spokesperson Dr Mohammad Faisal.
Foreign Secretary Tehmina Janjua, Additional Secretary (Asia Pacific), Additional Secretary (FMO) and Director General (China) also attended the meeting. The meeting discussed the significance of the visit as well as the programmes, meetings, agreements to be signed and its overall objectives.
Emphasizing the importance of visit, the foreign minister highlighted that Pakistan and China are "all-weather strategic cooperative partners," adding that the two countries are close friends, good neighbours and development partners.
"The bilateral relationship has withstood the test of times. Regardless of domestic or international changes, this close friendship has served as a model of state to state relations for other countries," he added.
The foreign minister underscored that high-level contacts are an important facet of the bilateral relationship. The Prime Minister is scheduled to visit China on his first official bilateral visit from November 2-5, 2018. The Prime Minister will be leaving at midnight between November 1 and 2 for China.
During his visit, the prime minister will meet the Chinese leadership in Beijing and also visit Shanghai to participate in the First China International Import Expo as a guest of honour. The visit will further strengthen the close and warm ties between the two brotherly countries, the spokesperson added.
Highlighting that the bilateral relationship has been further strengthened particularly in economic field by the launching of the CPEC, the foreign minister underscored that CPEC has added another important socio-economic development dimension to the bilateral relationship. The leadership of both countries has expressed strong desire and commitment to the successful implementation of the CPEC, he added.
"The new government in Pakistan has pledged its complete support and commitment to the advancement of CPEC. Pakistan considers CPEC as an engine for growth; a catalyst for economic development, and a platform for socio-economic uplift of the people of Pakistan," Qureshi said, adding that CPEC enjoys across the board political and institutional support in Pakistan.
During the recent visit of Chinese State Councillor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi, he said, the two sides expressed their full support to CPEC and agreed to focus more on socio-economic development aspects of CPEC in the next phase. The two sides will further discuss ways and means of achieving this goal during the forthcoming visit of the Prime Minister to China, he added.
"The two sides will continue their engagements at all levels not only to enhance their strategic partnership but also continue to promote regional peace and stability. The visit of Prime Minister Imran Khan to China will be instrumental in elevating the all-weather friendship between Pakistan and China to new heights," he added.
During his stay in China, diplomatic sources said, the two sides would also sign a number of agreements and memoranda of understanding. They said that Prime Minister Imran Khan will address the Chinese and Pakistani Business community at the Pakistan Trade and Investment forum to be held in Shanghai on November 5.
They said that over 400 Chinese companies and businessmen have been invited to attend the forum and they will be offered to take advantage of investment friendly policies of the present government.