Pakistan, China Set for Major Economic Agreements During PM Visit
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif is expected to secure a major economic breakthrough during his upcoming official visit to China, where Pakistan and China are likely to sign more than 100 memorandums of understanding (MoUs) valued at nearly $5 billion. The high-level visit is scheduled to take place from May 24 to May 26 and is being viewed as an important step toward expanding bilateral trade, industrial cooperation, and investment opportunities between the two countries.
According to informed sources, preparations for the agreements have already been finalized. Nearly 90 percent of the proposed agreements are expected to be business-to-business (B2B) partnerships, while the remaining arrangements will fall under government-to-business (G2B) cooperation frameworks. The agreements are anticipated to open new avenues for private sector collaboration and foreign investment across multiple industries.
During the visit, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif is also expected to hold important meetings with Chinese President Xi Jinping and Premier Li Qiang. Discussions between the leadership of both countries are likely to focus on regional developments, economic cooperation, trade expansion, and strategic bilateral relations.
The planned agreements are expected to cover a broad range of sectors considered vital for Pakistan’s economic growth and industrial modernization. These include agriculture, dairy and poultry farming, fisheries, animal vaccines, fruits and vegetable processing, cold storage and logistics, fertilizers, agro-chemicals, and seed development. In addition, major cooperation is also expected in technology-driven sectors such as information technology, fintech, e-commerce, cloud computing, and telecommunications.
Industrial collaboration is also expected to remain a central focus of the visit, particularly in areas linked to electric vehicles, mobile phone manufacturing, laptop batteries, industrial development, and EV charging infrastructure. Officials believe these agreements could help Pakistan strengthen its manufacturing capacity while attracting long-term Chinese investment into emerging sectors.
Sources further revealed that the Prime Minister has constituted a high-level monitoring committee under the supervision of Special Assistant Haroon Akhtar Khan. The committee will reportedly oversee the implementation and weekly progress of all signed MoUs to ensure timely execution and coordination between stakeholders.
A number of federal ministers and senior officials representing key ministries, including energy, petroleum, information technology, food security, and industry, are expected to accompany the Prime Minister during the visit. Representatives from Pakistan’s private sector will also participate in several B2B engagements and investment meetings with Chinese companies.
The Prime Minister is expected to attend a formal signing ceremony for several business agreements on May 24, while major diplomatic and economic meetings are scheduled in Beijing on May 25. The visit is likely to conclude on May 26 following a series of strategic discussions aimed at further strengthening Pakistan-China economic ties.
Meanwhile, officials indicated that preparations for the China visit have also affected Pakistan’s federal budget schedule. The federal budget is now expected to be presented on June 5, while the Economic Survey is likely to be released a day earlier on June 4.