ISLAMABAD: President Asif Ali Zardari on Friday arrived in Chengdu to kick off the first leg of his 10-day official visit to China.

On arrival at Chengdu Shuangliu International Airport, the President was received by Vice Foreign Minister, Sun Weidong, and Vice Governor of Sichuan Province, Huang Ruixue, said an official press release issued by the Presidency.

Pakistan’s Ambassador to China, Khalil Hashmi, as well as the Chinese Ambassador to Pakistan, Jiang Zaidong, were also present to welcome the president.

During the visit, the president will hold meetings with the Chinese leadership and senior officials to further strengthen Pakistan-China relations, enhance cooperation in diverse fields, and advance shared objectives.

He will also visit Shanghai and Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region and hold meetings with the leadership there.

The discussions will encompass Pakistan-China bilateral relations, with a particular focus on economic and trade cooperation, China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) and future connectivity initiatives. The two sides will also exchange views on bilateral cooperation at multilateral fora.

The visit underscores the tradition of high-level exchanges between Pakistan and China, reflecting the deep commitment of the two countries to strengthen their relations.

The president’s visit will also reaffirm mutual support on the issues of core interests, advance economic and trade cooperation including CPEC, and their joint commitment to regional peace.

Published in Dawn, September 13th, 2025