Islamabad/Beijing (GNP): Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif is set to embark on a four-day official visit to the People’s Republic of China from May 23 to 26, 2026, at the invitation of the Chinese government, the Foreign Office announced on Thursday.
The visit carries particular diplomatic weight as both nations mark the 75th anniversary of formal bilateral relations, a milestone that underscores decades of enduring partnership between Islamabad and Beijing. It is expected to serve as a crucial platform for reaffirming the Pakistan-China All-Weather Strategic Cooperative Partnership and advancing the shared vision of building a closer community with a common future.
Pak-China Engagements in Hangzhou
The Prime Minister will begin his trip in Hangzhou, Zhejiang Province, where he will chair a Pakistan-China Business-to-Business (B2B) Investment Conference. The forum will spotlight three priority sectors: IT and Telecom, Battery Energy Storage Systems (BESS), and Agriculture, all identified as critical pillars of future bilateral economic collaboration.
In Beijing, Prime Minister Sharif will hold separate meetings with President Xi Jinping and Premier Li Qiang, covering the full spectrum of bilateral ties across political, economic, and strategic domains. Key areas of focus will include accelerating high-quality development of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), expanding trade and investment, fostering industrial collaboration, and promoting agricultural modernization, information technology, science and technology, and people-to-people connectivity.
He will also attend a reception hosted by the Chinese People’s Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries, organized in commemoration of 75 years of Pakistan-China diplomatic relations.
Beijing Confirms Significance of the Official Visit
Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Guo Jiakun, addressing a press briefing in Beijing on Thursday, described the visit as an important high-level exchange, noting that both leaderships would collectively shape the trajectory of bilateral relations under evolving regional and global circumstances.
Guo highlighted the extraordinary resilience of the Pakistan-China friendship, calling it a model of consistent and stable state-to-state engagement. He pointed to recent years as a period of notable productivity, characterized by frequent leadership exchanges, measurable progress under CPEC, and sustained coordination on major international issues.
“China and Pakistan are all-weather strategic cooperative partners, and this bond has only deepened with time,” Guo affirmed, reiterating Beijing’s commitment to expanding cooperation across multiple sectors.
Regional Dimensions: Iran and Middle East
The visit also holds broader regional significance. On whether the situation in Iran would feature in discussions, Guo confirmed that leaders would exchange views on issues of mutual concern. He stated that China supports Pakistan in assuming a balanced mediating role to advance peace negotiations and a ceasefire.
Also Read: Pakistan-China Reaffirms Commitment to Deepening Strategic Partnership
“China stands ready to work alongside Pakistan and the wider international community to contribute to the early restoration of peace and stability in the Middle East, in line with the four propositions put forward by President Xi Jinping,” he said.
The 75th anniversary of Pakistan-China diplomatic relations has been observed throughout 2026 through a series of commemorative events and high-level exchanges. Earlier this year, President Xi Jinping and Premier Li Qiang exchanged congratulatory messages with their Pakistani counterparts, reaffirming a multifaceted partnership spanning diplomacy, trade, infrastructure, culture, and security.
As Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif prepares to depart for Hangzhou, the visit is widely anticipated to inject renewed momentum into one of Pakistan’s most strategically vital relationships — one that both nations remain firmly committed to advancing in the years ahead.
