ISLAMABAD: The vice premier of the State Council of the People's Republic of China, He Lifeng, is scheduled to visit Islamabad on July 30 to participate in a ceremony celebrating 10 years of the China–Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), a flagship project under the Belt and Road Initiative, the Foreign Office said in a statement.
The Chinese vice premier will also meet with Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif during the visit, according to the FO.
The sources added that he will also hold meetings with Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari and other government officials.
The high-level visit by the Chinese government's representative will conclude on August 1, following which he would depart.
Earlier this month, PM Shehbaz lauded the CPEC project for playing a key role in transforming the development landscape of Pakistan with the launch of several multi-billion dollar projects.
Addressing a ceremony to mark a decade of the signing of CPEC, the premier acknowledged that the mega project helped Pakistan progress in the region and the world.
Terming CPEC a “very transparent” project, the prime minister said the Chinese government and companies made investments of $25.4 billion investment in various projects.
He commended President Xi for his unstinted support of the CPEC for the well-being of the people of Pakistan. Sharif expressed confidence that CPEC would make a big kickstart in various areas including agriculture, special economic zones, information technology, and exploration of mineral resources.
He added that the country ushered in a new era of development with the completion of hundreds of projects under the umbrella of CPEC, including coal-fired power plants, the Orange Line mass transit project, and road infrastructure.
"The CPEC is all about a story of hard work and untiring commitment between the leadership of Pakistan and China," he said.
