Islamabad: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif held a meeting with Chinese Premier Li Qiang, during which both leaders expressed satisfaction over the positive momentum in Pak-China relations.
The meeting was followed by a grand lunch hosted in honor of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif.
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif thanked the Chinese leadership and people for their unwavering support towards regional integrity, sovereignty, and socio-economic development. Both leaders reaffirmed their commitment to further strengthening their partnership based on ironclad, harmonious, and strategic cooperation.
During the meeting, a joint action plan for 2024 to 2029 was signed, marking a significant step forward for bilateral ties. Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif credited China’s strong support for the promising outcomes of Pakistan’s relentless reform efforts.
The Prime Minister expressed Pakistan’s intention to issue Panda Bonds in the Chinese capital market and signed multiple Memoranda of Understanding (MoUs) and agreements covering various sectors including CPEC Phase Two, science and technology, IT, media, agriculture, and others.
Shehbaz Sharif highlighted CPEC’s critical role in Pakistan’s socio-economic development over the past decade and emphasized the need to reorganize the Karakoram Highway, ML-1, and operationalize Gwadar Port. Both leaders agreed to cooperate on five new corridor projects in addition to CPEC Phase Two.
The Prime Minister also underscored vast business-to-business cooperation and investment opportunities and briefed the Chinese Premier about the investment conference held in Beijing, attended by over 300 Pakistani and more than 500 Chinese companies.
Priority was given to mutually beneficial economic cooperation in agriculture, minerals, textiles, and other sectors. Additionally, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif reiterated support for Chinese President Xi Jinping’s initiatives on global governance, global security, and solarization.
Next year, both countries will celebrate the 75th anniversary of Pak-China diplomatic relations, for which a joint declaration will be issued.
