Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz will be visiting Japan and Hong Kong from August 8 to 13 with a view to further strengthening country's economic, commercial and political ties with its important far eastern partners.
Minister for Industries, Production Jehangir Khan Tareen, Minister for Tourism Ghazi Gulab Jamal, Minister for Water and Power Liaquat Ali Jatoi, Minister of State for Economic Affairs Hina Rabbani Khar, Minister of State for Culture Muhammad Ali Durrani, Export Promotion Bureau Chairman, Board of Investment Chairman, businessmen and officials of Prime Minister's Secretariat and Foreign Affairs Ministry will accompany the Prime Minister.
Besides his official meetings in Tokyo, Shaukat will visit Expo Aichi as guest of honour at events marking Pakistan's National Day.
AGENCIES ADD: On the first leg of his visit Prime Minister will visit Japan from August 8 to 11. He will discuss Pak-Japan ties with his Japanese counterpart Junichiro Koizumi to review bilateral matters as well as exchange views on regional and global developments.
The visit, a follow-up of one by the Japanese Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi in April, aims at strengthening trade and commercial ties besides expanding co-operation in all areas, Foreign Office spokesman Naeem Khan earlier told APP.
This would be Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz's first visit to Japan, since he assumed charge of his office and is on the invitation of Japanese Prime Minister.
The Prime Minister's programme includes calls by important cabinet members including minister for economic and fiscal policy, minister for finance, minister for economy, trade and industry and minister for foreign affairs.
Koizumi will host a banquet in Shaukat Aziz's honour. The Prime Minister will also meet CEOs of leading Japanese business establishments who will host a lunch in his honour.
Pakistan's Ambassador to Japan Kamran Niazi, while talking to PTV on Sunday hinted at signing of two loan agreements between the two countries during the Prime Minister's visit.
He said that the loans are related to those projects that were discussed during the last visit of Japanese Prime Minister to Pakistan.
Shaukat Aziz would visit Hong Kong, Special Administrative Region of the People's Republic of China, from August 11-13.
The Prime Minister's engagements in Hong Kong include meeting with Donald Tsang, Chief Executive of Hong Kong. He will also address a select gathering of intellectuals and representatives of think tanks at the Chinese University of Hong Kong.
He would meet business leaders and CEOs of important multinational companies and address members of Hong Kong General Chamber of Commerce.
The Prime Minister would meet members of Pakistani community and his engagements also include interviews to local and international electronic and print media
Meanwhile in an interview with Japanese media men here, the Prime Minister said that the aim of his visit to Japan is to strengthen economic relations with the country.
He said that during his visit to Japan, he will meet with his Japanese counterpart and discuss bilateral trade and economic relations and regional and international situation.
Shaukat Aziz said that during the visit he will also meet Japanese ministers for economic policy, finance, trade, and industries besides attending twenty-two important meetings most of them with traders and will discuss strengthening of bilateral trade ties.
Referring to the government's economic policies, the Prime Minister said that it has allowed foreign investors to invest hundred percent in Pakistan as there is no limit fixed.
Shaukat Aziz said that as compare to India, Pakistan has given more independence and incentives to the foreign investors. He said we have skilled, industrious and experienced manpower in different fields than other countries.
Shaukat Aziz said Pakistan has an important geographical position with regard to economy as it is situated at the crossroad of Central Asian States and Middle East.
Answering a question regarding relations with India, he said there was a vast scope to boost trade and economic relations between the two countries, but before starting trade there should be progress on security and Kashmir issues.
The Prime Minister said that Pakistan would apprise the Japanese leadership about Pakistan's efforts for establishing peace in the South Asia. He said that UN reform, situation in Afghanistan, Iraq, South Asia and other international issues will also be discussed during the visit.
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