Pakistan FM Bilawal Bhutto to embark on maiden visit to China tomorrow
May 20, 2022
Islamabad [Pakistan], May 20 : Pakistan's recently appointed Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto Zardari is scheduled to embark on his maiden two-day visit to China on Saturday at the invitation of the Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi.
According to a statement issued by Pakistan's Foreign Office, Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Hina Rabbani Khar and senior officials will be part of the foreign minister's delegation, Geo News reported.
"The two leaders will review the entire gamut of bilateral relations, with a particular focus on stronger trade and economic cooperation between Pakistan and China," Pakistan's Foreign Office said in a statement.
The two leaders are also expected to discuss the developments related to the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) which has recently been running into several hurdles due to the faltering Pakistani economy.
In the past seven years, Pakistan has only been able to complete three China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) projects in Gwadar while one-dozen schemes costing nearly USD 2 billion remain unfinished including those of water supply and electricity.
"Foreign Minister Bilawal's visit will also coincide with the 71st anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between Pakistan and China," the Pakistani Foreign Office statement read.
State Councilor Wang Yi had written a letter of congratulations to Bilawal on his assumption of the office of FM. The two foreign ministers had previously held a virtual meeting on May 11, Geo News reported.