Beijing Olympics 2022: PM Imran to embark on four-day visit to China tomorrow

In order to express solidarity with Beijing as some countries have boycotted the forthcoming Winter Olympic Games in Beijing, Prime Minister Imran Khan, at the special invitation of the Chinese leadership, will leave for China tomorrow (Thursday) on a four-day visit to attend the opening ceremony of the event.

Besides attending the opening ceremony of the Winter Olympic, PM Imran Khan will hold bilateral talks with Chinese President Xi Jinping and Prime Minister Li Keqiang during the visit from February 3 to 6. The prime minister will be accompanied by a high-level delegation including members of the cabinet and senior government officials, said Foreign Office spokesperson Asim Iftikhar Ahmad in a statement.

During the meetings, leaders from both sides will review the entire gamut of bilateral relations, with a particular focus on stronger trade and economic cooperation including CPEC. They will also have a wide-ranging exchange of views on major regional and international issues, the spokesperson added.

“The prime minister’s visit would mark the culmination of celebrations commemorating the 70th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between Pakistan and China, with more than 140 events organized to showcase the resilience of the all-weather strategic cooperative partnership amidst the COVID-19 pandemic and the unfolding international situation,” read the statement.

‘A number of MoUs and agreements would be signed’

Asim Iftikhar said that a number of MoUs and agreements would be signed during the visit.

It would thus renew the bilateral commitment to taking the iron-clad partnership between Pakistan and China to new heights and add impetus to cooperation across multiple domains, he added.

While in Beijing, the prime minister would also meet prominent business leaders of China and representatives of leading Chinese think-tanks, academia and the media, said the spokesperson.