President Arif Alvi departs for China over Coronavirus crisis

President Arif Alvi departs for a two-day visit to China, along with senior ministers, at the invitation of Chinese President Xi Jinping.

A delegation, including Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi, Minister for Planning, Development and Special Initiatives Asad Umar, and other senior officials will accompany the President Arif Alvi on the visit.

During the visit, a number of Memorandum of Understandings are expected to be signed.

They will enhance the bilateral cooperation in multiple spheres between Beijing and Islamabad.

This will be the president’s first visit to China, which is singularly aimed at conveying strong support and solidarity of Pakistan towards the people of China as the country battles the spread of Covid-19.

The visit will play an important role in further solidifying the historic bonds of trust and mutual support between the two iron brothers, the government said on Sunday.

🇵🇰 🇨🇳
At the invitation of President Xi Jinping, President @ArifAlvi will be visiting #China from 16-17 March.

President will be accompanied by a delegation incl. FM @SMQureshiPTI Minister 4 Planning @Asad_Umar & senior officials. A number of MoUs are expected to be signed 1/2

— Spokesperson 🇵🇰 MoFA (@ForeignOfficePk) March 15, 2020

It will also serve as an opportunity for the leadership of the two countries to review bilateral, regional and international issues and to advance the shared goals of promoting peace, prosperity and development, it added.

Pakistan and China are the closest friends and staunch partners.

The two countries are joined together in an all-Weather strategic cooperative partnership, the government reaffirmed.

This time-tested friendship is based on unparalleled mutual trust, understanding and commonality of interests.

The leadership of both countries is fully committed to building closer ties, it noted.

President Alvi would be first head of state to visit the country since China announced to close 14 makeshift hospitals in Wuhan in a sign of victory against the deadly virus that has killed more than 3,000 up till now.

President Xi visited the city earlier this month and inspected a 1,000-bed hospital constructed in 10 days to fight the deadly disease before touring a local community to call on residents in quarantine.