Pakistani PM arrives in China to ‘forge new partnerships,’ promote connectivity at Belt and Road forum

Pakistani Prime Minister Anwaar-ul-Haq Kakar on Monday arrived in China, his office said, where he aims to “forge new partnerships” and promote regional connectivity at the Belt and Road forum in Beijing on Oct 17-18.

The conference in Beijing marks the 10th anniversary of the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) championed by President Xi Jinping, with Russian President Vladimir Putin due to attend on a rare trip abroad, along with representatives from many developing countries, notably from Latin America and Africa.

Kakar, accompanied by a high-level delegation, is undertaking the visit at the invitation of China’s President Xi Jinping. He will attend the opening ceremony of the Belt and Road forum and address a high-level session, titled ‘Connectivity in an Open Global Economy,’ on October 18, his office said.

“Looking forward to strengthening ties, engaging in dialogues, forging new partnerships, and promoting regional connectivity for a brighter future,” the prime minister said on X as he left for China.

The BRI is a plan for global infrastructure and energy networks that China launched a decade ago to connect Asia with Africa and Europe through land and maritime routes. But critics see the plan — billed as recreating the ancient Silk Road to boost global trade — as a tool for China to spread its geopolitical and economic influence.

Under the BRI, Beijing has pledged over $60 billion for energy, infrastructure and other projects in Pakistan.

The Pakistan prime minister will hold bilateral meetings with President Xi, Premier Li Qiang and other Chinese officials to discuss all facets of bilateral relations, with a particular focus on strengthening trade and economic cooperation between the two countries, Kakar’s office said in a statement.

He will meet leading Chinese entrepreneurs and preside over an interactive roundtable on the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) to explore new avenues for strengthening trade and investment ties between Pakistan and China.

“To further strengthen regional connectivity, trade, investment and people-to-people contacts between the neighboring regions of Pakistan and China, Prime Minister Kakar will pay a two-day visit to Urumqi, Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region of China,” the statement read. “In Urumqi, he will meet with local leadership and business persons and deliver a speech at the Xinjiang University.”

The Pakistan prime minister is also expected to meet with leaders of other countries participating in the Belt and Road forum

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