Bilateral ties: Key Chinese leader to meet Zardari today
Politburo member Li Changchun expected to discuss issues related to upcoming leadership changes in China.
ISLAMABAD:
A key leader of China’s powerful decision-making body will arrive here today (Wednesday) in a visit which appears to be linked to a leadership transition in China next month.
Li Changchun is a member of China’s Standing Committee of the Politburo, a central body within the Communist Party, which is considered to have final say in all important matters. Most of its members hold dual positions, such as that of the president and prime minister.
An official statement said Li Changchun, leading a high-level delegation, will meet President Asif Ali Zardari to discuss bilateral issues as well as the regional situation.
He will inaugurate China Radio International in Urdu, which aims to increase people-to-people contact and forge cultural bonds at a popular level.
This will add a new dimension to the existing cultural relations between Pakistan and China, the statement added.
Pakistani officials have attached great importance to the visit by high-level Chinese delegation.
One official pointed out that Changchun, who was once a strong contender for premiership, is expected to brief Pakistani authorities about the crucial leadership transition in China next month.
The 18th National Congress of the Communist Party of China is scheduled to begin on November 8 to elect the country’s next president and prime minister.
It is widely speculated that Xi Jinping and Li Keqiang will succeed Hu Jintao and Wen Jiabao as the top Politburo Standing Committee members by November 2012, and take over the presidency and premiership in March 2013 at the National People’s Congress.
This high level visit from China wil l help further strengthen the “all-weather and strategic” friendship between the two countries, said foreign ministry spokesperson Moazzam Ali Khan.
Published in The Express Tribune, October 17th, 2012.
A key leader of China’s powerful decision-making body will arrive here today (Wednesday) in a visit which appears to be linked to a leadership transition in China next month.
Li Changchun is a member of China’s Standing Committee of the Politburo, a central body within the Communist Party, which is considered to have final say in all important matters. Most of its members hold dual positions, such as that of the president and prime minister.
An official statement said Li Changchun, leading a high-level delegation, will meet President Asif Ali Zardari to discuss bilateral issues as well as the regional situation.
He will inaugurate China Radio International in Urdu, which aims to increase people-to-people contact and forge cultural bonds at a popular level.
This will add a new dimension to the existing cultural relations between Pakistan and China, the statement added.
Pakistani officials have attached great importance to the visit by high-level Chinese delegation.
One official pointed out that Changchun, who was once a strong contender for premiership, is expected to brief Pakistani authorities about the crucial leadership transition in China next month.
The 18th National Congress of the Communist Party of China is scheduled to begin on November 8 to elect the country’s next president and prime minister.
It is widely speculated that Xi Jinping and Li Keqiang will succeed Hu Jintao and Wen Jiabao as the top Politburo Standing Committee members by November 2012, and take over the presidency and premiership in March 2013 at the National People’s Congress.
This high level visit from China wil l help further strengthen the “all-weather and strategic” friendship between the two countries, said foreign ministry spokesperson Moazzam Ali Khan.
Published in The Express Tribune, October 17th, 2012.