The first-ranked Vice Premier of the State Council of the People’s Republic of China, His Excellency Zhang Gaoli, also member of the Politburo Standing Committee of the Communist Party of China, arrived in Tirana on Sunday for a two- day official visit, at the helm of the highest level government delegation to visit the country in five decades. He is accompanied by five ministers and a group of businessmen.

China’s Vice Premier Zhang Gaoli is set to hold official talks with the President of the Republic Bujar Nishani, and the Prime Minister Edi Rama on Monday. Seen as a milestone event in the Sino-Albanian relations, the visit on April 16-17 by the Chinese government delegation led by Vice Premier Gaoli will launch a new era of stronger long-term cooperation and trade ties between the two countries under the One Belt, One Road initiative through new ideas and views.

Iljaz Spahiu, sinologist and head of the Albanian-Chinese Cultural Institute in Tirana and an expert of Chinese language, culture, society, and politics, told an interview with Ora News TV on Saturday this is the most important visit by a high-level Chinese government delegation to Albania since 1966.

“It is a double- status visit, the most significant visit to Albania in 51 years since 1966, with the then Chinese Prime Minister visiting Tirana that year. Chinese Vice Premiers have visited the country earlier, but First Vice Premier Zhan Gaoli comes to Albania having a double status, since he is also member of the Politburo Standing Committee of the Communist Party, China’s highest executive and decision-making body,” Spahiu added.

Spahiu highlighted the importance of this visit in three main areas.

“The high-level Chinese delegation visiting Albania shows the seriousness with which China treats and has always been treating its relations with Albania and readiness to readiness to move forward pragmatically with the Sino-Albanian relations. Secondly, the visit aims at setting the benchmarks for the future cooperation. It is a huge delegation of 50 people, including 5 ministers and deputy ministers. The visit is of particular importance due to the fact that it will hopefully open a new era and new opportunities for cooperation on concrete projects between Albania and China under within the two great programs initiated by China, such as ‘One Belt, One Road’ initiative and the 16+1 cooperation framework, including 16 Central and East European Countries and China, to revive and adjust the old Silk Road concept. Albania is part of this route and is expected to benefit significant investments mainly in infrastructure projects,” he said.