Islamabad, Sep 22 (IANS): Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan has said that the people in his country were keenly looking forward to welcoming Chinese President Xi Jinping, the media reported

Khan made the remarks on Monday during a meeting with the outgoing Chinese Ambassador Yao Jing, reports Dawn news.

The premier praised the Chinese leadership for bringing about a socio-economic transformation, saying there was a lot to learn from Beijing's efforts for banishing poverty.

Khan lauded the efforts of Ambassador Yao to strengthen the Pakistan-China "All-Weather Strategic Cooperative Partnership".

He said that during the Ambassador's tenure, the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) had entered its second phase and the focus was now on industrialisation, agriculture and socio-economic development.

Yao thanked Khan for his role in further cementing the bond between the two countries.

The outgoing Ambassador said Khan's personal focus on poverty alleviation would bring substantial and immense benefits not only to the people of Pakistan but also the entire region.

Yao served in Pakistan from October 2017.