Pakistan and China Sign MoUs to Boost CPEC 2.0, IT, Agriculture and Media Cooperation

Beijing: Pakistan and China reaffirmed their unwavering commitment to deepening their “iron-clad, all-weather” strategic cooperative partnership, with both sides vowing to further strengthen ties in political, economic, and people-to-people domains.

The affirmation came during a warm and cordial meeting between Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Chinese Premier Li Qiang in Beijing, where the two leaders expressed satisfaction over the upward trajectory of bilateral relations.

Shehbaz Sharif Praises China’s Support and Visionary Leadership

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif extended profound gratitude to the Chinese leadership and people for their consistent support to Pakistan’s territorial integrity, sovereignty, and socio-economic development. Paying tribute to China’s remarkable transformation under President Xi Jinping’s visionary leadership, he stressed that Pakistan wished to emulate China’s success and build a stronger Pakistan-China community with a shared future.

Pakistan to Float Panda Bonds in Chinese Capital Market

Highlighting ongoing reform measures, the Prime Minister noted that Pakistan’s economic stabilization efforts were yielding results, made possible through China’s strong backing. He also announced Pakistan’s plan to issue Panda Bonds in the Chinese capital market soon.

CPEC 2.0 and Flagship BRI Projects in Focus

On the economic front, Shehbaz Sharif underscored the central role of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC)—a flagship project of the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI)—in driving Pakistan’s development over the past decade. He pressed for early implementation of key projects including ML-I railway upgrade, Karakoram Highway (KKH) realignment, and Gwadar Port operationalization.

Both sides reaffirmed their resolve to push forward CPEC 2.0, featuring five new corridors, to further boost regional connectivity and trade.

B2B Cooperation and Investment Opportunities

Emphasizing the vast potential for investment, the Prime Minister briefed Premier Li on the Pakistan-China B2B Investment Conference held earlier in the day, which brought together more than 300 Pakistani and 500 Chinese companies. Agriculture, minerals, textiles, industry, and IT were identified as priority areas of collaboration.

Pakistan Backs Xi Jinping’s Global Initiatives

Reiterating Pakistan’s strong support for President Xi Jinping’s landmark initiatives, Shehbaz Sharif expressed Islamabad’s commitment to the Global Development Initiative, Global Security Initiative, Global Civilization Initiative, and Global Governance Initiative.

Agreements Signed Across Multiple Sectors

The two leaders also attended the signing ceremony of multiple agreements and MoUs covering CPEC 2.0, science and technology, IT, media, and agriculture. Both sides agreed to celebrate the 75th anniversary of diplomatic relations next year with renewed vigor and expanded cooperation.