Pakistan: With hopes of getting funds, Imran Khan to knock China's doors on his first official trip next week

The tour is of high significance to the country which is struggling with an ailing economy and is desperately seeking China’s assistance to avoid taking a heavy loan from the International Monetary Fund.

Imran Khan/ Image: Facebook

New Delhi: Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan will embark on his first official tour to China in the first week of November, where he will hold a meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping. He is also scheduled to meet Chinese Premier Li Keqiang during his four-day trip. The tour is of high significance to the country which is struggling with an ailing economy and seeks China’s assistance to avoid taking a heavy loan from the International Monetary Fund. As per reports, Chinese leadership had extended an invitation to Khan who will be travelling with a high-level delegation including Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi. Khan, who was successful in getting $6 billion bailout package from Saudi Arabia, is also expected to head over to Malaysia over the next few weeks with a Saudi like bailout expectation from the friendly country. If Khan is successful in getting a monetary aid as expected, then the government may not need to seek as big a loan from the IMF. Radio Pakistan reported that Imran Khan will be a keynote speaker at the First China International Import Expo in Shanghai where Pakistan is exhibiting a wide range of export products. The two sides are also likely to review the entire range of bilateral relations and sign agreements and memoranda of understanding (MoUs) of cooperation in diverse fields. He will hold meetings with other world leaders as well as leaders of the Chinese financial and corporate sector on the sidelines of the Shanghai forum, it reported.