• Premier meets its counterpart, promises a close coordination in CPEC 2.0
• Reiterate the commitment to protect Chinese citizens, promises ‘is not bureaucracy’ for investors
• Terms of the qualified workforce as a ‘comparative advantage’
Islamabad: Pakistan and China promised on Thursday further cementing bilateral trade and strategic ties, since both parties signed 21 different and joint companies worth around $ 8.5 billion, in addition to formally launching the second phase of the economic project of China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC).
The MOU was signed between the two countries with respect to cooperation in the development of CPEC 2.0, science and technology, IT, media, investment, agriculture, etc.
The last day of his visit to China, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif met his counterpart, Prime Minister Li Qiang, and attended an investor conference.
According to Prime Minister’s office, Prime Minister Shehbaz and his Chinese counterpart reaffirmed to work together in a meeting that the first described “more productive.”
“Both parties also agreed to continue working closely in the next phase of updated CPEC 2.0, with its five new runners,” said an official statement.
During the meeting, the prime minister highlighted the “significant contribution” of CPEC to the socioeconomic development of Pakistan in the last decade. He also emphasized the need for the early implementation of the Railway Project of Line 1 (ML-1), the realignment and operationalization of Karakoram Highway of the Gwadar port.
“I also invited Chinese companies to improve their investment footprint in Pakistan,” the Prime Minister wrote in X, adding that the agreement of leaders on cooperation in information technology, agriculture, minerals, textiles and industry.
Prime Minister Shehbaz also shared Pakistan’s intention to float panda bonds, a type of debt security issued by foreign entities called in Chinese yuan (RMB), in the Chinese capital market soon.
He later met with the Minister of Information Technology and the Chinese industry Licheng and reiterated Pakistan’s vision of deepening bilateral cooperation with China in industries, agriculture, commerce, ICT, mining and minerals.
Investor Conference
Both countries have also agreed to deepen security and defense cooperation, and will work together to take energetic measures against terrorism, the Xinhua news agency reported, citing a joint action plan agreed by the two countries.
Prime Minister Shehbaz then described the safety of Chinese companies “supreme” Pakistan, inviting investment to the country under the CPEC-2.0 banner.
Going to Chinese business leaders at the Pak-China B2B conference, Prime Minister Shehbaz said: “I want to make clear to this assembly of great leaders that the safety of Chinese brothers and sisters in Pakistan is essential for all of us.”
He invited them to “present and change the landscape of progress and well -being” for both China and Pakistan.
When observing delays in the formal launch of CPEC-2.0, Prime Minister Shehbaz assured possible investors that “Pakistan will not tolerate even the delay of a second” to facilitate Chinese companies.
He acknowledged that there were delays, and things had not “advanced according to Chinese standards”; However, he emphasized that the doors of Pakistan remained open to Chinese investors, adding that “we will not keep them waiting even a second.”
“I am here talking to you first as Executive Director of Pakistan and then as Prime Minister,” he added.
The prime minister also held a series of high -level meetings with senior executives of China’s main companies in Beijing.
He also invited Chinese companies to consider Pakistan as their preferred investment destination, particularly to relocate industries in special economic zones, saying that the country offered a “unique comparative advantage” with a large group of qualified and profitable labor, competitive entry costs and strategic connectivity to regional and global markets.
After concluding his six -day visit, Prime Minister Shehbaz subsequently returned to Pakistan on Thursday night.
Posted in Dawn, September 5, 2025
