PM Kakar to attend Belt and Road Initiative forum in China next week

ISLAMABAD: Caretaker Prime Minister Anwaar-ul-Haq Kakar will highlight the future priorities of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) and reaffirm Pakistan’s strong commitment to jointly promote its high-quality development during his upcoming visit to China, Foreign Office said.

Speaking at her weekly media briefing on Thursday, Foreign Office Spokesperson Mumtaz Zahra Baloch said at the invitation of President Xi Jinping, the caretaker prime minister will undertake a visit to China to participate in the “Third Belt and Road Forum (BRF) for International Cooperation,” being held in Beijing from 17-18 October 2023.

She said the prime minister will attend the opening ceremony of the BRF and address the high-level forum entitled, “Connectivity in an Open Global Economy” to be held on 18 October 2023.

She further stated that caretaker Prime Minister Kakar will hold bilateral meetings with President Xi Jinping and senior Chinese leaders and with a number of leaders attending the Forum.

While in China, she added that the prime minister will also meet with leading Chinese entrepreneurs to expand bilateral trade and investment.

She said that the caretaker prime minister will also visit Urumqi, Xinjiang Autonomous Region of China to meet with local leaders and businesspersons, aiming to enhance trade, investment and people-to-people relations.

The visit of the prime minister comes in the backdrop of the ongoing celebrations marking the 10 years of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), the flagship project of China’s Belt and Road Initiative.

In his engagements, she added that the prime minister will highlight the key achievements and the future priorities of CPEC, and reaffirm Pakistan’s strong commitment to jointly promote its high-quality development.

Speaking on condition of anonymity, a senior official of the Foreign Office said that the Chinese government has extended the invitation to a number of other ministers and senior officials to participate in the high-level event.

“China wants Pakistan to be seen as closest friend,” the official said, adding that the MOFA has recommended an effective participation of Pakistan in the forum.

Besides, the caretaker prime minister, he said that the Chinese government has extended invitations to caretaker ministers for finance, planning and development, power, railways, information and broadcasting, chairman National Accountability Bureau (NAB), and chief minister Sindh.

However, he added that the caretaker prime minister’s delegation has yet not been finalised and it is up to him to decide as to who will be accompanying him during the visit.