ISLAMABAD: Chinese Vice Premier He Lifeng arrived in Pakistan on a three-day visit on Sunday and he would attend the 10th anniversary celebrations of China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) and hold meetings.

He was received by the Minster for interior Rana Sanaullah, Minister for Planning and Development Ahsan Iqbal and special assistant to Prime Minister Tariq Fatemi. An official said that formal meetings of the Chinese vice premier would start today (Monday) with first one with Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif.

Foreign Office in a statement said that at the invitation of the Government of Pakistan, Special Representative of President Xi Jinping, He Lifeng, Vice Premier China of the State Council of China and Member of the Politburo of the Central Committee of the Communist Party will visit Pakistan from 30 July to 01 August 2023.

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During the visit, Vice Premier will attend the 10th-anniversary celebrations of CPEC and call on the President and the Prime Minister. He will also be the chief guest at an event celebrating the Decade of CPEC.

Vice Premier He Lifeng has played a prominent role in China’s international economic relations and implementation of the Belt and Road Initiative, of which CPEC is a flagship project. As the Chairman of the National Development and Reform Commission (2017-23), he was instrumental in the planning and execution of multiple CPEC projects in Pakistan.

The visit is part of regular high-level exchanges and dialogue between Pakistan and China. It reflects the importance attached by Pakistan and China to further deepen their “All-Weather Strategic Cooperative Partnership”; enhance economic and financial cooperation; advance high-quality development of CPEC, and explore new avenues for strengthening trade and investment ties between the two countries.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2023