Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif is leaving here today (Monday) for China to attend the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) prime ministers' meeting. China is hosting the 14th SCO prime ministers' meeting in Zhengzhou, capital of the central Henan province, on Monday and Tuesday (December 14 and 15).
Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, who is leading Pakistani delegation to the SCO meeting, would also meet his Chinese counterpart Li Keqiang during his visit.
The SCO session will review cooperation in economy, trade, transport and public level, besides discussing development of regional cooperation and increase in communications.
On the sidelines of the SCO summit, the PM will have a bilateral meeting with his Chinese counterpart Li Keqiang to discuss the issues of mutual interest.
Pakistan was invited to become full member of the SCO in its summit held in Russian city of Ufa in Bashkortostan on July 8 and 9 July 2015.
As an Observer State of the SCO, Pakistan has been making substantive contribution to regional peace, security and development. Apart from the six member states, government leaders from Pakistan, Afghanistan, Belarus, India, Iran and Mongolia will take part in the meeting as observers.
At the invitation of Chinese Premier Li Keqiang, government leaders from the six member states of the SCO, including Kazakhstan's Prime Minister Karim Masimov, Kyrgyz Prime Minister Temir Sariyev, Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev, Tajik Prime Minister Qohir Rasulzoda, and First Deputy Prime Minister of Uzbekistan Rustam Azimov, will attend the meeting.
Attendees also include representatives from international organisations, including the UN Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific, the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, and the Conference on Interaction and Confidence-Building Measures in Asia.
Chinese President Xi Jinping will meet government leaders of SCO member states on the sidelines of the meeting.