Pakistan and China on Thursday expressed satisfaction with the steady upward trajectory of their bilateral ties and agreed to work closely on the next phase of the upgraded China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC 2.0), which will feature the addition of five new corridors.
The reaffirmation came during a “warm and friendly” meeting between Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif and Chinese Premier Li Qiang.
Strengthening All-Weather Partnership
Prime Minister Shehbaz conveyed deep gratitude to the Chinese leadership and the people of China for their consistent support for Pakistan’s sovereignty, territorial integrity, and socio-economic development.
Building on the important consensus reached between President Xi Jinping and Prime Minister Shehbaz during their meeting on September 2, 2025, both leaders reiterated their commitment to further consolidate the iron-clad, all-weather strategic cooperative partnership between Pakistan and China. The signing of the Joint Action Plan 2024–2029 was hailed as a significant milestone toward this shared vision.
Shehbaz also extended congratulations to China for the successful hosting of the SCO Council of Heads of State Summit in Tianjin and offered felicitations on the 80th anniversary of the victory of the Chinese people in the War of Resistance and the World’s Anti-Fascist War.
He praised China’s remarkable progress under the visionary leadership of President Xi Jinping, noting that Pakistan aspired to learn from China’s development model in order to build a stronger Pakistan-China community with a shared future.
The Prime Minister highlighted that his government’s ongoing reform agenda was beginning to deliver promising results, thanks in large part to China’s continued support.
Economic and Investment Cooperation
Shehbaz Sharif also announced Pakistan’s intention to float Panda Bonds in the Chinese capital market, signaling efforts to deepen financial cooperation.
On the economic front, he underscored the transformative role of CPEC, a flagship project of President Xi’s Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), in driving Pakistan’s socio-economic development over the past decade.
The Prime Minister particularly stressed the early execution of critical projects including:
- Main Line-1 (ML-I) railway modernization
- Karakoram Highway (KKH) realignment
- Operationalization of Gwadar Port
He further emphasized the vast opportunities for business-to-business (B2B) partnerships, noting the B2B Investment Conference held earlier in the day, which attracted over 300 Pakistani and 500 Chinese companies.
Shehbaz identified agriculture, mining and minerals, textiles, IT, and the industrial sector as priority areas for mutually beneficial investment and collaboration.
Shared Global Vision
Reiterating Pakistan’s strong backing for President Xi’s landmark multilateral initiatives, Prime Minister Shehbaz expressed support for:
- The Global Governance Initiative
- The Global Development Initiative
- The Global Security Initiative
- The Global Civilization Initiative
Both sides also noted that 2026 will mark the 75th anniversary of Pakistan-China diplomatic relations, an occasion they pledged to celebrate in a befitting manner.
MoUs and Agreements Signed
During the visit, the two leaders attended a ceremony for the exchange of multiple Memorandums of Understanding (MoUs) and agreements, covering cooperation in:
- The development of CPEC 2.0
- Science and technology
- Information technology
- Media collaboration
- Agriculture
- Other key sectors
The delegation-level discussions concluded with a luncheon hosted by Premier Li Qiang in honor of Prime Minister Shehbaz and his delegation.
Subscribe To Get Update Latest Blog Post
No Credit Card Required
