PM Shehbaz lands in Hangzhou, kicking off 4-day China visit
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Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Saturday landed in Hangzhou, kicking off his four-day official visit to China. Zhejiang province’s Vice Governor Xu Wenguang received PM Shehbaz at Hangzhou Xiaoshan International Airport upon his arrival, the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) said. China’s Ambassador to Pakistan Jiang Zaidong and Islamabad’s envoy Khalil Hashmi were also present to welcome him. According to the PMO, the prime minister will meet Zhejiang Party Secretary Wang Hao during his stay in Hangzhou. Detailing his Hangzhou itinerary, the PMO said PM Shehbaz will attend a business forum aimed at promoting cooperation between Pakistani and Chinese companies under the second phase of China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC 2.0). He will also participate in a ceremony for the exchange of agreements and Memoranda of Understanding (MoUs). The PMO further said that the premier will engage with the chief executive officers (CEOs) of leading Chinese companies and visit the headquarters of Alibaba Group to strengthen economic cooperation. Deputy PM and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar, Planning Minister Ahsan Iqbal, Information Minister Attaullah Tarar, IT Minister Shaza Fatima, and PM’s adviser Tariq Fatemi were accompanying the premier on the trip. A day earlier, the Foreign Office (FO) had announced that the premier would undertake an official visit to China from May 23 to 26. “The visit assumes special significance as Pakistan and China commemorate the 75th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations. It will provide an opportunity to reaffirm the abiding strength of the Pakistan-China all-weather strategic cooperative partnership and advance the shared vision of building an even closer Pakistan-China community with a shared future,” it said. During the visit, PM Shehbaz will hold meetings with the Chinese leadership, including President Xi Jinping and Premier Li Qiang. “The two sides will review bilateral cooperation in the political, economic, and strategic doma