Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Chinese Premier Li Qiang agreed in Beijing to maintain close coordination and accelerate implementation of agreed projects to take the Pakistan-China partnership into a new, practical, result-oriented and high-quality phase.
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif held an important meeting with Premier Li Qiang in Beijing, where the two sides reviewed all aspects of bilateral relations in the context of the 75th anniversary of the establishment of Pakistan-China diplomatic ties.
Chief of Defence Forces Field Marshal Asim Munir, Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar, and key federal ministers also attended the high-level meeting.
During the meeting, Prime Minister Shehbaz thanked his Chinese counterpart for the warm welcome. He said the Pakistan-China strategic cooperative partnership is a central pillar of Pakistan’s foreign policy, adding that the iron friendship between the two countries is based on mutual trust, peace and a shared commitment to development.
Both leaders reaffirmed full support for each other on all matters related to core national interests.
Referring to CPEC, the Prime Minister said the project has played a transformative role in Pakistan’s socio-economic development. The two leaders expressed firm commitment to implementing the next phase of CPEC, with special focus on industrialisation, agriculture, science and technology, digital transformation, and socio-economic development.
Prime Minister Shehbaz also highlighted the importance of alignment between China’s Five-Year Plan and “Uraan Pakistan,” saying it aims to accelerate Pakistan’s development priorities.
He appreciated China’s continued support for Pakistan’s national development and economic stability, and reaffirmed that the security of Chinese citizens, institutions and projects in Pakistan would be ensured in all circumstances.
The meeting also placed special emphasis on expanding cooperation in space exploration, artificial intelligence and other advanced technologies. The Prime Minister said the selection of Pakistani astronauts for China’s space mission is clear evidence of deep cooperation between the two countries in strategic sectors.
