Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan, who is on his first official visit to China after assuming power, on Friday met Chinese President Xi Jinping in Beijing. Khan referred to the Chinese president as a “role model” as he met him at the Great Hall of People in Beijing.
Lauding the leadership of Xi Jinping in China, the Pakistani Prime Minister said that the Chinese President’s “vision and leadership is a role model”. He further said that no other country has tackled poverty and corruption the way China has.
A tweet by Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) quoted Imran Khan as saying, “President Xi’s vision and leadership is a role model; our country is very impressed the way China has progressed. China's phenomenal achievements are worth emulating. No other country has tackled poverty and corruption the way China has tackled.”
Imran Khan further said that “Pakistan wants to learn from China’s experience in poverty alleviation and curbing corruption”, even as he extended an invitation to Xi Jinping to visit Pakistan.
Xi also hailed the new leadership of Pakistan, saying that the ties between the two countries had “now gained momentum”. While welcoming Imran Khan, he said, “Pakistan China relations have already been strengthening, and now gained momentum. The relationship has not only benefited the two countries but also the region.”
According to news agency PTI, China on Friday reportedly agreed to provide USD 6 billion in aid to cash-strapped Pakistan to minimise its dependence on an IMF bailout package. A loan of USD 1.5 billion is also expected to be offered, along with an additional package of USD three billion for the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), a Geo TV report said.
This is the second USD 6 billion package which Khan has managed to obtain in the last few weeks as Pakistan reeled under severe financial crisis. Earlier during his visit to Saudi Arabia, Riyadh committed USD 6 billion funding which included USD 3 billion deferred payment for oil imports.
