Musharraf to pay state visit to China next week

Islamabad: President Pervez Musharraf will make a state visit to China from April 10 to 15 at the invitation of his Chinese counterpart Hu Jintao. The trip was officially announced on thursday.

This will be his first foreign trip after the February elections in Pakistan brought about a coalition government of parties hostile to him, casting a dark shadow over his political future.

An official statement said the president would discuss bilateral relations, regional issues and international developments with the Chinese leadership.

The visit is part of regular high-level interaction between the two countries and reflective of their close bilateral ties, a foreign office statement said.

Musharraf will hold talks with Hu, besides separately meeting Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao and other leaders.

The president will also visit Boao where he will speak at the Boao forum for Asia where this year the theme would be "Green Asia: Moving Towards Win-Win."

"The visit will reinforce the all weather, time-tested friendship between the two countries and further enhance and deepen the strategic and cooperative partnership," the statement said.