<p class="title rtejustify">Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan is likely to make his first official trip to China next month, his foreign minister has said.</p>.<p class="bodytext rtejustify">Pakistan's Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi said the USD 50 billion China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) is a game changer for Pakistan and has taken off.</p>.<p class="bodytext rtejustify">Pakistan, he said, wants an early completing of these projects and is in talks with the Chinese on how to focus on areas that are important to the new government.</p>.<p class="bodytext rtejustify">"Hopefully next month in November the prime minister would be making his first official visit to China to discuss this further," Qureshi told a Washington audience when he was asked about reports of changes in the ambitious CPEC projects.</p>.<p class="bodytext rtejustify">"Obviously infrastructure is required. We need roads and rail links, optic fibres and everything of that sort. We want them to help us in areas like industrial development, enhancing agriculture productivity, helping us alleviate poverty in the country," he said to a question at the US Institute of Peace.</p>.<p class="bodytext rtejustify">Qureshi said the Khan government is talking about how to improve lives and livelihoods, how labour-intensive industry can be relocated into Pakistan and give jobs.</p>.<p class="bodytext rtejustify">"So that is an ongoing discussion and hopefully next month in November, the prime minister would be taking his first official visit to China to discuss this further," the top Pakistani diplomat said.</p>.<p class="bodytext rtejustify">When asked about increasing relationship between Pakistan and China, Qureshi said this is not at the cost of the ties with the US.</p>.<p class="bodytext rtejustify">"US was, is and will remain an important global player. You are a technological, economic and military power. We recognise that. There's a history of our relationship. Let's not forget that," he said.</p>.<p class="bodytext rtejustify">Noting that currently there are challenges in the US- Chinese relationship, Qureshi argued that Beijing can play an important constructive role with regard to Afghanistan and peace in the region.</p>.<p class="bodytext rtejustify">"I am of the view and Pakistan is of the view that China can play a constructive role and China must be engaged. China has initiated a trilateral meeting.. they had one in Beijing and next month in December we might have the second round in Kabul," he said.</p>
<p class="title rtejustify">Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan is likely to make his first official trip to China next month, his foreign minister has said.</p>.<p class="bodytext rtejustify">Pakistan's Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi said the USD 50 billion China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) is a game changer for Pakistan and has taken off.</p>.<p class="bodytext rtejustify">Pakistan, he said, wants an early completing of these projects and is in talks with the Chinese on how to focus on areas that are important to the new government.</p>.<p class="bodytext rtejustify">"Hopefully next month in November the prime minister would be making his first official visit to China to discuss this further," Qureshi told a Washington audience when he was asked about reports of changes in the ambitious CPEC projects.</p>.<p class="bodytext rtejustify">"Obviously infrastructure is required. We need roads and rail links, optic fibres and everything of that sort. We want them to help us in areas like industrial development, enhancing agriculture productivity, helping us alleviate poverty in the country," he said to a question at the US Institute of Peace.</p>.<p class="bodytext rtejustify">Qureshi said the Khan government is talking about how to improve lives and livelihoods, how labour-intensive industry can be relocated into Pakistan and give jobs.</p>.<p class="bodytext rtejustify">"So that is an ongoing discussion and hopefully next month in November, the prime minister would be taking his first official visit to China to discuss this further," the top Pakistani diplomat said.</p>.<p class="bodytext rtejustify">When asked about increasing relationship between Pakistan and China, Qureshi said this is not at the cost of the ties with the US.</p>.<p class="bodytext rtejustify">"US was, is and will remain an important global player. You are a technological, economic and military power. We recognise that. There's a history of our relationship. Let's not forget that," he said.</p>.<p class="bodytext rtejustify">Noting that currently there are challenges in the US- Chinese relationship, Qureshi argued that Beijing can play an important constructive role with regard to Afghanistan and peace in the region.</p>.<p class="bodytext rtejustify">"I am of the view and Pakistan is of the view that China can play a constructive role and China must be engaged. China has initiated a trilateral meeting.. they had one in Beijing and next month in December we might have the second round in Kabul," he said.</p>