Pakistan prime minister's China visit to focus on strengthening friendship, boosting economic ties

At the invitation of Chinese Premier Li Qiang, Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan will pay an official visit to China from June 4 to 8, Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson Mao Ning announced on Friday.

Sharif will visit China to bolster the all-weather strategic cooperative partnership between the neighboring countries. The visit will have three segments. Besides Beijing, the prime minister will visit the cities of Xi’an and Shenzhen. Xi’an is an ancient city in China and was once the beginning point of the ancient Silk Road. Shenzhen is one of the most rapidly developed cities in the world. During the last four decades, it has transformed from a poor fishing village to a hub of science, technology, innovation and commercialization.

The prime minister will meet President Xi Jinping in Beijing and hold delegation-level talks with Premier Li Qiang. He will also hold meetings with the Chairman of the Standing Committee of the National People’s Congress Zhao Leji and heads of key government departments.

An important aspect of the PM’s visit will be meetings with corporate executives of leading Chinese companies dealing in oil and gas, energy, ICT, and emerging technologies. He will address the China-Pakistan Business Forum in Shenzhen with leading businesspersons, entrepreneurs, and investors from both countries. He will also visit economic and agricultural zones in China. His meetings with corporate sector leaders aim to boost China-Pakistan economic ties and attract Chinese investment in Pakistan.

Sharif chaired a meeting on Friday to review the preparations for his upcoming visit to China, wherein he directed the formulation of comprehensive plans to hold result-oriented business-to-business meetings between the two countries. He instructed the relevant authorities to devise strategies for attracting Chinese industries to Pakistan, pledging government support for industrialists and investors.

A delegation of industrialists, investors, and businesspeople will accompany the prime minister to Shenzhen. The delegation will hold meetings with Chinese businesses to promote business-to-business exchanges between the two countries. The prime minister has also directed Pakistan’s ambassador to China to support the Pakistani business delegation during its visit.

Sharif’s visit is a manifestation of the iron-clad Pakistan-China friendship characterized by frequent high-level exchanges and dialogue. High-level visits are routine and provide an opportunity for close liaison, exchanging ideas, and discussing pressing matters in the region and globally.

The two sides will discuss ways to strengthen their all-weather strategic cooperative partnership. They aim to upgrade the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), boost trade and investment, and enhance cooperation in security, energy, space, science, technology, and education. Additionally, they will promote cultural cooperation and people-to-people exchanges, thus shaping the future trajectory of Pakistan-China friendship.

As CPEC enters its second phase, there will likely be discussions on expanding cooperation and broadening its scope. It is hoped that more projects will be added and the pace of ongoing projects will be accelerated. CPEC is a flagship project under the Belt and Road Initiative.

Sharif on Sunday reaffirmed Pakistan’s support for the Chinese stance on Taiwan, reiterating its commitment to the one-China principle. “As an iron-brother and a strategic partner of China, Pakistan has always extended its principled support to the Chinese position on Taiwan and will continue to do so,” the prime minister wrote on X.

The people of Pakistan have high expectations for the prime minister’s China visit. They believe this visit will not only strengthen the traditional friendship between China and Pakistan but will open new avenues of collaboration and opportunities for the youth of Pakistan.

Zamir Ahmed Awan is a non-resident fellow at the Center for China and Globalization (CCG) and a sinologist at the National University of Sciences and Technology in Pakistan. Email: awanzamir@yahoo.com.

The opinions expressed in this article reflect those of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of People's Daily Online.