President Asif Ali Zardari will leave for China on an eight-day official visit starting tomorrow (Friday), diplomatic sources confirmed.

The visit, which will continue until September 20, will begin with Zardari’s arrival in Shanghai.

He is expected to be accompanied by a high-level delegation, while Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari is also likely to join the presidential entourage.

During the trip, President Zardari is scheduled to hold meetings with Chinese leadership as well as senior figures of the Communist Party of China.

Both he and Bilawal are expected to participate in multilateral forums during the visit.

According to diplomatic sources, the discussions will cover a wide range of areas including the next phase of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC 2.0), energy cooperation, and gas exploration opportunities.