Chinese Premier Li arrives in Pakistan as stage set for SCO summit
Chinese Premier Li Qiang arrived in Pakistan on Monday for a four-day official visit, during which he will also attend the much-anticipated Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) summit.
Premier Li’s visit comes as Pakistan prepares to host the 23rd SCO Council of Heads of Government (CHG) meeting on October 15 and 16, amid tight security arrangements. To accommodate the event, the government has declared a three-day public holiday in Islamabad, with schools and businesses closed, and extensive deployment of police and paramilitary forces for security.
Upon his arrival at Rawalpindi’s Noor Khan Airbase, Premier Li was warmly received by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and honored with a 21-gun salute.
Expressing his delight over the visit, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif shared that he is looking forward to a 'historic and productive' exchange with his Chinese counterpart.
As outlined by the Foreign Office, Premier Li’s visit includes meetings with President Asif Ali Zardari, parliamentary leaders, and senior military officials. The Foreign Office described the visit as a testament to the strong "All-Weather Strategic Cooperative Partnership" between Pakistan and China.