Pakistan president to begin five-day state visit to China

Pakistani President Asif Ali Zardari?will?pay?a?five-day state?visit?to?China, starting Tuesday, the first of its kind since assuming office in March.

In a news release issued on Monday, the Pakistani Foreign Ministry said that the president will hold meetings with Chinese leadership in Beijing.

The discussions will encompass the full spectrum of China-Pakistan relations, with a particular focus on economic and trade cooperation, counter-terrorism and security collaboration, China-Pakistan Economic Corridor, and future connectivity initiatives, it said.

The two sides will also exchange views on the unfolding global and regional geopolitical landscape and bilateral cooperation at multilateral fora.

"The visit underscores the tradition of high-level exchanges between Pakistan and China, reflecting deep commitment of the two countries to strengthen their All-weather Strategic Cooperative Partnership," it said.

"It reaffirms mutual support on the issues of core interests, advance economic and trade cooperation including CPEC, and to highlight their joint commitment to regional peace, development and stability," it added.

According to the ministry, Zardari?will also attend the inaugural ceremony of the 9th Asian Winter Games in Harbin, Northeast China's Heilongjiang province.

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