Nawaz Sharif in China on five-day visit - hold

Nawaz Sharif arrived in Beijing Wednesday on a five-day official visit to China, his first foreign trip in his new term as the prime minister of Pakistan.

Chinese Deputy Foreign Minister Zhang Yesui received Sharif and his delegation at the Beijing airport.

Sharif is accompanied by Balochistan Chief Minister Abdul Malik Baloch as well as Minister for Planning and Development Ahsan Iqbal and special assistant to the prime minister on foreign affairs Tariq Fatimi, Dawn reported.

According to Pakistan's Ambassador to China Masood Khalid, the premier's visit would further strengthen Sino-Pak strategic bilateral ties.

In his meetings with the Chinese top leadership, Sharif would focus on Pakistan's power sector, the development of Pakistani infrastructure, and the promotion of bilateral trade and commerce between the two neighbours, said Masood.

Sharif will meet Chinese President Xi Jinping to discuss issues of regional and global importance and mutual interest. He is also scheduled to meet with top leaders and executives of Chinese financial institutions, Masood said.

Earlier this week, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi said Sharif's visit would "help promote pragmatic cooperation between the two countries".