Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif held a comprehensive meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping in Beijing today, marking his first visit to China since assuming office in 2024. During the meeting, the Prime Minister expressed his gratitude to President Xi for the warm and gracious welcome extended to him and his delegation.
Recalling the historic visit of President Xi to Pakistan in 2015, which saw the formal operationalization of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), Prime Minister Shehbaz highlighted the significant strides made in the bilateral relationship since then. He praised President Xi’s visionary Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) and Global Development Initiative (GDI), emphasizing that CPEC, as the flagship project of the BRI, has substantially contributed to Pakistan’s socioeconomic development.
The two leaders reaffirmed their commitment to the high-quality development and timely completion of major ongoing CPEC projects. They agreed on upgrading CPEC and advancing its high-quality development in the second phase.
Prime Minister Shehbaz reiterated Pakistan’s dedication to the high-quality development of CPEC, emphasizing the importance of fostering synergy between the development strategies of the two countries through close coordination. He assured full support for the safety and security of Chinese nationals, projects, and institutions in Pakistan.
Additionally, the Prime Minister briefed President Xi on Pakistan’s policies aimed at economic reform, sustained growth, industrial development, agricultural modernization, and regional connectivity, highlighting the critical role CPEC plays in these areas. He noted that Pakistan’s agenda for people-centric, socio-economic development aligns with China’s concept of ‘shared prosperity.’
The leaders also exchanged views on regional and global developments, including the situations in Afghanistan, Palestine, and South Asia, with a particular focus on the serious human rights situation in the Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK). Both sides reiterated their longstanding support for each other on issues of core interest.
