Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif arrived here on Friday to participate in the One Belt, One Road forum, aimed at regional development through win-win cooperation. Li Shixiang, Vice Chairman Beijing Municipal Chinese People Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) and China's ambassador to Pakistan Sun Weidong and senior government officials received the Prime Minister and Begum Kalsoon Nawaz Sharif at the Beijing International Airport. Pakistan's Ambassador Masood Khalid was also present.

A contingent of static guard presented salute to the Prime Minister as he alighted from his Special Aircraft. Two children, clad in traditional dresses presented bouquets to the Prime Minister and his spouse. The Prime Minister's entourage included four chief ministers including Shahbaz Sharif (Punjab), Pervaiz Khattak (KPK), Nawab Sanaullah Zehri (Balochistan) and Murad Ali Shah (Sindh).

Finance Minister Ishaq Dar, Railways Minister Saad Rafique, Minister for Planning Dr Ahsan Iqbal, Commerce Minister Khurram Dastagir, State Minister for Information Technology Anousha Rehman and PM's Adviser on Foreign Affairs Sartaj Aziz also accompanied the Prime Minister.

The Belt and Road Forum (BRF) is part of the 'Silk Road Economic Belt and the 21st Century Maritime Silk Road' (OBOR) initiative launched by President Xi Jinping in 2013 and is being attended by 27 other Heads of State/Government. The China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) is the flagship programme of OBOR.

At the Forum, the Prime Minister will address the plenary session of High-level Dialogue besides addressing the two Leader's Roundtable Sessions on 'Policy Synergy for Closer Partnership' and 'Connectivity Cooperation for Inter-connected Development'. A number of agreements and MoUs related to CPEC projects are also expected to be signed on the occasion.

Copyright Associated Press of Pakistan, 2017