Imran Khan holds meetings with Chinese Premier, firms as Pak eyes more loan
Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan is in China on a four-day visit to attend the opening ceremony of the Beijing Winter Olympics and meet the top Chinese leadership - political and business.
Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan on Saturday held meetings with Chinese Premier Li Keqiang and senior leadership of state-owned and private companies in China amid Islamabad’s struggle to overcome financial challenges. Imran Khan assured continued support to Chinese enterprises to expand their footprints in the country, according to Pakistan’s Prime Minister’s Office. In the meetings, Khan was accompanied by the members of his cabinet and senior officials.
“Appreciating the interests of Chinese companies for enhancing business ties with Pakistan, the Prime Minister highlighted that government of Pakistan had offered many incentives to foreign enterprises especially from China for investment in Pakistan Special Economic Zones,” the PMO said in a tweet.
Khan is in China on a four-day visit to attend the opening ceremony of the Beijing Winter Olympics and meet the top Chinese leadership - political and business. He signed a new agreement with China on Friday to kick off the second phase of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), the controversial project laid through the Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK).
On Saturday, the Pakistan Prime Minister met executives of China Energy Engineering Corporation (CEEC), China State Construction Engineering Corporation (CSCEC), Power China, East Sea Group, China Railway Group Limited (CREC), China Metallurgical Group Corporation (MCC), Beijing Century Industrial Development Co. Ltd (CENTINCO) and the CHINAMEX Group.
He was briefed on the progress of the ongoing Chinese projects and future investment plans in the fields of energy, refining, petrochemical, infrastructure development water management, information and communication technology (ICT), and housing.
Pakistan is eyeing to ease its financial burden and get more loans from Beijing to stabilise its dwindling foreign exchange reserves. The Imran Khan government is considering requesting China to approve $3 billion in China's State Administration of Foreign Exchange, known as SAFE deposits, reported The Express Tribune.
