LAHORE (special crosspondent) – Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif has departed for China on an important four-day official visit, marking a significant step in strengthening regional ties. Chinese Consul General Sun Yian was present at the airport in Lahore to see off the chief minister, underscoring the diplomatic importance of the trip.

Upon her arrival in Urumqi, Maryam Nawaz Sharif will be received by senior Chinese officials at the international airport. Her official engagements are scheduled to commence at the Kunlun Hall of the Conference Centre, located within the Xinjiang State Guest House.

During her stay, a high-level delegation led by Xinjiang Party Secretary Chen Xiaojian is slated to meet with Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif. She is also scheduled to hold bilateral discussions with He Zhongyu, Deputy Party Secretary of the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Regional Committee, to explore matters of mutual interest and expand areas of cooperation. These diplomatic efforts follow recent high-level interactions between regional leaders, including visits by officials like Field Marshal Asim Munir, to bolster international partnerships.

The provincial chief executive will also engage with a delegation representing the Xinjiang Production and Construction Corps (XPCC) to deliberate on specific avenues for economic and developmental cooperation. As the government continues its focus on provincial progress, similar initiatives, such as the UK partnership for literacy and numeracy, remain central to the current administration’s development agenda.

To conclude the diplomatic proceedings, a dinner will be hosted in honour of Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif and the accompanying Pakistani delegation by He Zhongyu, in his capacity as Deputy Party Secretary of the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Regional Committee, Party Secretary and Political Commissar. Throughout the duration of this official visit, Maryam Nawaz Sharif will stay at the Xinjiang State Guest House as a guest of the Chinese government.