Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif met with Premier Li Qiang of the People’s Republic of China in Beijing, reaffirming the enduring strength of the Pakistan–China all-weather strategic cooperative partnership. The meeting, held on the sidelines of a state luncheon hosted by the Chinese Premier, reflected the warmth and trust that continue to define bilateral ties.
Strategic Consensus and Shared Vision
Building on the important consensus reached with President Xi Jinping on 2 September 2025, both leaders reiterated their commitment to advancing the iron-clad partnership. A key milestone was the signing of the Joint Action Plan 2024–2029, which charts the course for future cooperation across political, economic, and strategic domains.
The Prime Minister lauded China’s steadfast support for Pakistan’s territorial integrity, sovereignty, and socio-economic development, while also congratulating the Chinese leadership on the successful hosting of the SCO Council of Heads of State Summit in Tianjin. He further extended felicitations to China on the 80th anniversary of the victory in the War of Resistance and the World’s Anti-Fascist War.
Economic and Developmental Cooperation
The discussions placed significant emphasis on the economic dimension of bilateral ties:
China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC): The Prime Minister highlighted CPEC’s role as a flagship project of the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), calling for the early implementation of priority projects such as ML-I railway modernization, Karakoram Highway realignment, and the full operationalization of Gwadar Port.
CPEC 2.0: Both sides committed to advancing the next phase of CPEC, structured around five new corridors, covering industrial cooperation, livelihood, green development, science and technology, and digital connectivity.
Capital Market Cooperation: Prime Minister Sharif announced Pakistan’s intent to float Panda Bonds in the Chinese capital market.
B2B Engagement: Emphasizing business-to-business collaboration, the Prime Minister briefed Premier Li about the B2B Investment Conference earlier in the day, which attracted participation from over 300 Pakistani and 500 Chinese companies. Priority sectors included agriculture, mines and minerals, textiles, industrial development, and IT.
Diplomatic and Multilateral Engagement
Prime Minister Sharif expressed Pakistan’s strong support for President Xi’s landmark global initiatives, including the Global Development Initiative (GDI), Global Security Initiative (GSI), Global Civilization Initiative (GCI), and Global Governance Initiative (GGI), all aimed at strengthening multilateralism and inclusive development.
Looking ahead, both countries agreed to celebrate the 75th anniversary of diplomatic ties in 2026, marking another milestone in their enduring friendship.
Agreements and Future Outlook
The meeting concluded with a signing ceremony for multiple Memorandums of Understanding (MoUs) and agreements covering cooperation in CPEC 2.0 development, science and technology, IT, media, and agriculture.
This engagement reinforces Pakistan–China relations as a cornerstone of regional stability and prosperity, while underscoring their shared vision of building a closer community with a shared future in the new era.
