Pakistan s Foreign Minister to visit China (Lead)

Beijing Sep 6 (IANS) Pakistan s Foreign Minister Khawaja Muhammad Asif will visit Beijing on Friday to discuss a range of issues with his Chinese counterpart Wang Yi China said on Wednesday.

Asif s visit will come days after the conclusion of BRICS summit chaired by China which named Pakistan-based terror groups like Jaish-e-Mohammad and Lashkar-e-Taiba in its joint declaration. This might have hurt Pakistan as their mention could not have come without its "all-weather ally" China s approval which had opposed a similar declaration at Goa last year.

In his regular press conference Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Geng Shuang said that during his September 8 visit Asif will meet Wang.

"China and Pakistan are all weather strategic partners. The two sides have seen their relationship growing with a sound momentum frequent high-level exchanges and fruitful outcomes of political cooperation " he said.

"Two sides will exchange views on bilateral relations and international and regional issues of mutual interest " Geng added.

Describing Asif s visit as an "important event" between the two sides which will further the cooperation consensus reached between the two country s leaders he said it will deepen political cooperation centered on the China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) and promote coordination and communication on international and regional affairs.

India has opposed the CPEC which passes through a part of Kashmir held by Pakistan.

--IANS
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