President Asif Ali Zardari landed in China on Tuesday for a five-day official visit, following an invitation from Chinese President Xi Jinping.

Accompanying him were Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar, Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi, Senator Saleem Mandviwala, and Dr. Asim Hussain. Upon arrival at Beijing International Airport, he was warmly received by Chinese Finance Minister Lan Fo’an, Pakistan’s Ambassador to China Khalil Hashmi, and China’s Ambassador to Pakistan Jiang Zaidong.

During his stay, President Zardari is set to meet President Xi Jinping, Premier Li Qiang, and other senior Chinese leaders. Discussions will focus on mutual interests, including the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), regional connectivity, and security cooperation.

Additionally, on the special invitation of the Chinese government, he will attend the opening ceremony of the 9th Asian Winter Games in Harbin, Heilongjiang province.

The visit holds great importance in strengthening Pakistan-China ties, with an emphasis on expanding trade and commerce. Pakistan views the trip as part of a longstanding tradition of high-level engagements between the two nations, reinforcing their strategic cooperative partnership.

According to the Foreign Office, the visit will reaffirm mutual support on core interests, enhance economic and trade collaboration—particularly under CPEC—and emphasize both nations’ shared commitment to regional peace, development, and stability.

This visit is crucial as Pakistan seeks to boost its economy and improve regional connectivity through CPEC. Several projects under the initiative have faced delays due to financial constraints, but officials remain hopeful that new agreements will be signed, paving the way for deeper economic cooperation and addressing regional security concerns.