PM Shehbaz touches down in China to attend SCO summit
ES Mag
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif said on Saturday he looked forward to meeting Chinese President Xi Jinping along with other world leaders as he arrived in China to attend the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) summit, as Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi also touched down on his first visit after a seven-year gap.
The SCO summit, to be held in the northern port city of China’s Tianjin on Sunday and Monday, will gather more than 20 world leaders in a powerful show of Global South solidarity, including Russian President Vladimir Putin. The SCO comprises China, India, Russia, Pakistan, Iran, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan and Belarus. Another 16 countries are affiliated as observers or “dialogue partners”.
PM Shehbaz arrived in Tianjin with Deputy PM and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar and Information Minister Attaullah Tarar.
According to a statement from the Foreign Office (FO) today, the premier is leading a delegation from Pakistan to participate in the SCO’s Council of Heads of State (CHS) summit from August 31 to September 1.
“The SCO CHS Summit will bring together heads of state and government from SCO member states, including Pakistan, Belarus, China, India, Iran, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Russia, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan,” the statement read.
Leaders from Mongolia, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Cambodia, Nepal, Turkiye, Egypt, the Maldives, Myanmar and others, as well as the chief of the United Nations and heads of various regional and international organisations, will also attend as part of the expanded format.
“At the SCO CHS Summit, Prime Minister Sharif will present Pakistan’s perspectives on pressing regional and global issues, highlighting strategies to strengthen the SCO’s role in fostering regional cooperation and stability,” the FO stated.
PM Shehbaz is slated to reaffirm Pakistan’s commitment to promoting multilateralism, enhancing regional security and advancing sustainable development, the FO said. He is also expected to have bilateral meetings with other SCO leaders and invited members to “strengthen diplomatic relations”.
On the engagements in China, the FO said the prime minister would hold meetings with President Xi and Premier Li Qiang “during which multifaceted dimensions of Pakistan-China bilateral cooperation would be discussed”.
“He would also attend the military parade with President Xi and other world leaders being held in Beijing to commemorate the 80th anniversary of the World’s Anti-Fascist War,” the FO added.
PM Shehbaz, as per the statement, would “interact with reputed Chinese businessmen and corporate executives to discuss bilateral trade, economic and investment ties”. He would also address a Pakistan-China B2B Investment Conference in Beijing.
The statement highlighted that the visit was a part of leadership-level exchanges between the two countries.
“It manifests the importance attached by the two countries to further deepen their All Weather Strategic Cooperative Partnership, reaffirm support on issues of respective core interests, advance Phase-II of CPEC and maintain regular communication on important regional and global developments,” FO said.
Ahead of Pakistan’s participation in the summit, FM Dar also posted on X, saying: “Pakistan’s all-weather strategic partnership with China is anchored in trust and strategic alignment. We value President Xi’s leadership and initiatives such as the Belt and Road, and the Global Development, Security & Civilisation Initiatives, which continue to transform economies and strengthen regional integration.”
He added: “The SCO has become a pivotal Eurasian platform, advancing cooperation in security, trade, energy, connectivity, and culture under the principles of mutual trust and shared development.”
In today’s multipolar world, FM Dar said, the SCO’s role in promoting multilateralism, stability, and inclusive growth is more vital than ever.
Leaders from Central Asia, the Middle East, South Asia and Southeast Asia have been invited to the 25th SCO Heads of State Council.
Last week, the government said that PM Shehbaz’s visit to China will mark the formal launch of the second phase of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC-II), focused on industrial cooperation, after a delay of about five years.
“Prime minister’s upcoming visit will mark the formal launch of CPEC Phase-II, with both sides expected to set clear priorities and agree on tangible, measurable outcomes,” an official announcement had said, quoting Planning Minister Ahsan Iqbal, focal person on the multi-billion-dollar bilateral initiative.
In July, the two countries decided to form technical working groups to explore and implement projects focusing on high-yield cotton seed development, advanced water-saving irrigation technologies, and modern farming techniques.
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