Pakistan, China Sign Key Cooperation Agreements During PM Visit
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif officially commenced his four-day visit to China with the signing of multiple cooperation agreements aimed at strengthening bilateral relations and expanding collaboration under the framework of CPEC 2.0. The visit began in Hangzhou, where the Pakistani premier was welcomed by Zhejiang province Vice Governor Xu Wenguang at Hangzhou Xiaoshan International Airport. Chinese Ambassador to Pakistan Jiang Zaidong and Pakistan’s Ambassador to China Khalil Hashmi were also present on the occasion.
During his meeting with Communist Party of China Zhejiang Provincial Committee Secretary Wang Hao, Prime Minister Shehbaz witnessed the signing of two major cooperation documents designed to deepen economic, technological and institutional ties between the two countries.
One of the key agreements included a memorandum of understanding establishing a sister-province relationship between Punjab and Zhejiang province. The agreement is expected to enhance cooperation across multiple sectors including trade, agriculture, investment, education, tourism, culture and people-to-people exchanges.
Another significant development was the signing of a document of understanding between Hangzhou Normal University and the Embassy of Pakistan in Beijing to establish the China-Pakistan Joint Technology Research Centre. The initiative is intended to strengthen academic cooperation, technology transfer, applied research and institutional partnerships between universities and research institutions of both countries.
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif praised Zhejiang province for its remarkable development model and appreciated the leadership vision of Chinese President Xi Jinping during his tenure as the provincial party secretary. He particularly highlighted the philosophy of balancing ecological preservation with economic growth, describing Zhejiang as an important example of sustainable and high-quality development.
The premier reiterated Pakistan’s commitment to enhancing cooperation with Zhejiang province in areas including information technology, telecommunications, digital economy, renewable energy, advanced manufacturing, agriculture, e-commerce and skills development. He stated that provincial-level partnerships could play a vital role in advancing the second phase of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor through industrial modernisation, technology collaboration and export-oriented growth.
Highlighting the 75th anniversary of diplomatic relations between Pakistan and China, PM Shehbaz said both nations were entering a new era of practical and development-focused cooperation aimed at delivering mutual economic benefits and strengthening long-term strategic ties.
As part of the visit, the prime minister is also scheduled to attend a Pakistan-China business forum in Hangzhou to encourage cooperation between Chinese and Pakistani companies under CPEC 2.0. He is expected to hold meetings with executives of major Chinese corporations and visit the headquarters of Alibaba Group to explore further economic and technological opportunities.
The high-level delegation accompanying the prime minister includes Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar, Planning Minister Ahsan Iqbal, Information Minister Attaullah Tarar, IT Minister Shaza Fatima Khawaja and Adviser to the Prime Minister Tariq Fatemi.
According to Pakistan’s Foreign Office, the visit carries significant diplomatic importance as both countries celebrate 75 years of bilateral relations. Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif is expected to meet Chinese President Xi Jinping and Premier Li Qiang during the visit to review cooperation in political, economic and strategic sectors.
Discussions are expected to focus on trade, investment, industrial cooperation, agricultural modernisation, information technology, science and technology and the continued high-quality development of CPEC projects. The premier will also chair the Pakistan-China B2B Investment Conference in Hangzhou and participate in a commemorative event in Beijing marking the anniversary of diplomatic relations between the two nations.
Officials from both sides expect the visit to further strengthen strategic coordination, political trust and long-standing friendship between Pakistan and China while opening new opportunities for regional connectivity, economic growth and bilateral development.