Pakistan's Prime Minister Imran Khan is due in China on Friday afternoon for his first official visit to the country.
Khan, who only assumed office in August, is expected to hold talks with Chinese President Xi Jinping and Premier Li Keqiang during his four-day stay.
Khan will be accompanied by his foreign minister and dozens of business leaders, and will also attend next week's China International Import Expo (CIIE) in Shanghai.
Khan, an Oxford graduate, served as the captain of Pakistan's national cricket team in 1982 and led the team to win the Cricket World Cup in 1992. After gaining success in sports, Khan started his political career by establishing the Pakistan Movement for Justice in 1996. In the 2002 and 2013, he was elected as a member of the National Assembly.
Activists of different religious parties demonstrate against the acquittal of blasphemy convict Aasia Bibi in Islamabad, Pakistan, October 31, 2018. /VCG Photo
Meanwhile, on the domestic front, the Pakistani prime minister warned against any social disturbances following a Supreme Court ruling to acquit a Christian woman over charges of blasphemy.
The court's decision sparked angry demonstrations and death threats from an ultra-Islamist party. Protesters blocked roads in major cities, paralyzing parts of Lahore and the capital, Islamabad. Khan said any prolonged blockades would be met with action.
(Cover photo: Imran Khan addressing the nation after being elected as Pakistan's Prime Minister, in Islamabad, Pakistan, August 19, 2018. /VCG Photo)