PM Imran Khan meets Chinese premier & Uzbek president in Beijing

ISLAMABAD/BEIJING: Prime Minister Imran Khan on Saturday held sperate meetings with Chinese Premier Li Keqiang and President of Uzbekistan Shavkat Mirziyoyev in Beijing to discuss wide-ranging matters.

The prime minister is in Beijing on a four-day visit, where he met the Chinse leadership, local businessmen, and also attended the Winter Olympics 2022 opening ceremony to show solidarity with the brotherly nation amid the West’s boycott.

Minister for Information and Broadcasting Fawad Chaudhry said that Kashmir and Afghanistan were the centerpiece of PM Imran Khan’s meetings with both the leaders.

“Prime Minister Imran Khan’s meeting with Chinese prime minister Li has ended. It was followed by a meeting with Uzbek President Shavkat. Kashmir and Afghanistan were the main topics of discussion in both the meetings,” he tweeted.

China, as a political, economic and strategic partner of Pakistan, has always played a “critical role”, the minister added.

In a separate statement, the Prime Minister’s Office said the PM, in his meeting with the Uzbek President, exchanged views in detail on the entire gamut of bilateral relations based on shared bonds of faith, history, and culture.

The two leaders reaffirmed their resolve to comprehensively upgrade the Pakistan-Uzbekistan partnership across the broad spectrum and continue taking practical steps for the implementation of the key projects, according to the PM’s Office.

PM Imran Khan underscored the importance of enhanced trade and economic cooperation, particularly through operationalising the landmark bilateral Transit Trade Agreement (UPTTA) and finalising the Preferential Trade Agreement.

He also reiterated Pakistan’s full support of the Trans-Afghan railway project and exchanged views on the next steps in taking it forward over the coming months.

To further improve connectivity and people-to-people contacts, the prime minister underlined the need to enhance tourism, take all steps for resuming direct flights, strengthen banking links, and facilitate visas procedures.

The two leaders also discussed cooperation in education and culture and recognized progress on joint research and media ventures, including the joint film on Baburi heritage and dubbing of Pakistani dramas in the Uzbek language.

They also exchanged views on issues of regional peace and stability. The two sides stressed the need to continue economic and humanitarian assistance to Afghanistan by the international community to avoid any further deterioration of the situation.

Stressing the need for practical engagement, the two leaders agreed that a peaceful, stable and prosperous Afghanistan was vital for regional stability as well as for the realisation of infrastructure and connectivity projects.

PM Imran stated that the people of Pakistan were looking forward to welcoming President Mirziyoyev on his visit to Pakistan. The two sides agreed to work closely to ensure the concrete outcome of the visit.

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