April 10, 2008	Thursday	Rabi-us-Sani 3, 1429

ISLAMABAD, April 9: President Pervez Musharraf will leave for China on Thursday on a six-day state visit to bolster bilateral ties and exchange views on regional and global developments.

The visit, at the invitation of Chinese President Hu Jintao, is part of regular, high-level interaction between the two countries.

Mr Musharraf will meet his Chinese counterpart, Prime Minister Wen Jiabao and other Chinese leaders.

He will also be a keynote speaker at the Boao Forum for Asia and meet several world leaders, including the president of Sri Lanka and prime ministers of Australia and Kazakhstan.

He will conclude his visit with a trip to Urumqi, the capital of Xinjiang autonomous region bordering Pakistan.

Several memoranda of understanding are expected to be signed during the visit.

The president’s entourage includes the foreign and defence ministers.

Some of the ministers belonging to the PML-N refused to accompany him.