Shah-Mahmood-QureshiForeign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi reached China for a two-day visit at the invitation of his Chinese counterpart, Wang Yi, the Foreign Office said in a statement on Friday.
He was greeted at the Chengdu airport by senior officials of the Chinese foreign ministry. The foreign minister will participate in bilateral talks between delegations of both countries on Saturday (today). After the talks, the foreign ministers of the two countries will address a joint press conference.
In a video message before leaving for China, the foreign minister said: “The Pak-China friendship, which has entered the seventh decade, is emerging as a strong strategic partnership.” The foreign minister said that during his visit he would discuss a bilateral strategic agenda with his Chinese counterpart. He said the two sides would also exchange views on the situation in Afghanistan and the region. “A detailed meeting would be held on the progress made so far on the projects related to China Pakistan Economic Corridor and its future strategy,” he added.
Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi and his Chinese counterpart Wang Yi will hold third strategic dialogue and exchange views on regional and international issues of common concern as well as the bilateral cooperation, Chinese Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Zhao Lijian said on Friday. “During the visit, Foreign Minister Qureshi and China’s Foreign Minister Wang Yi will hold a third strategic dialogue and will exchange views of the international and regional issues of common concern and bilateral cooperation,” he said during his regular briefing.
Meanwhile, Director General (DG) of the Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) Lt Gen Faiz Hameed also arrived in Beijing on Friday to hold ‘strategic talks’ with Chinese officials, a private TV channel reported.
The visit of high-ranking Pakistani officials holds significance after a tragic incident in Upper Kohistan. Nine Chinese nationals working on Dasu Hydro Power Project were killed when a bus transporting them to the construction site met an incident.
