The PM was speaking at the China Council for Promotion of International Trade. He said that one thing that China had taught him was how its leadership tackled corruption.
While addressing the gathering, Imran Khan said, "One of President Xi Jinping's biggest crusade has been against corruption," adding that he had heard that China had convicted some 400 ‘ministerial-level people’ on charges of corruption and jailed them in the last five years.
The prime minister was referring to Xi Jinping’s campaign against corruption in 2012 that saw action against 1.3 million officials at various levels.
He stated, "I wish I could follow President Xi's example and put 500 corrupt people in Pakistan in jail." He added that unfortunately processing [cases] in Pakistan was ‘very cumbersome’.
Moreover, Imran Khan stated that he counted corruption as one of the biggest hurdles to investment in the country.
The prime minister also spoke of how impressive was the way China had lifted people out of poverty.
He said, "What inspires me most about China is the way they have lifted 700 million people out of poverty in 30 years." he said, adding, "This has never happened in human history."
The prime minister is on an official visit to China, accompanied by the foreign minister, and other high officials. The chief of army staff is also present in China and will meet the Chinese military leadership.