ISLAMABAD(National times)- Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif will embark on an official visit to China in the final week of August. According to the Prime Minister’s Office, he will attend the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) heads of state summit from 31 August to 1 September. The high-profile gathering will host several world leaders for multilateral and bilateral engagements. Diplomatic sources confirmed that during the summit, Prime Minister Sharif is scheduled to meet Chinese President Xi Jinping and Russian President Vladimir Putin. Alongside these, meetings with other international leaders are also expected on the sidelines of the SCO summit. The discussions are set to cover bilateral relations and areas of mutual cooperation. Pakistan’s interactions with global partners during the summit are expected to focus on strengthening political, economic and regional collaboration.