China's Xi hails 'unbreakable' ties, praises Pakistan's role in Iran peace efforts as he meets PM Shehbaz

China’s President Xi Jinping hailed Beijing’s “unbreakable” friendship with Pakistan on Monday as he met Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif in Beijing, seeking to deepen the “all-weather” partnership between the two countries.

PM Shehbaz landed in China on Saturday on a four-day official visit, reaching Beijing yesterday after making a stop in Hangzhou.

Addressing bilateral talks at the Great Hall of the People, Xi said: “China is ready to work with Pakistan to move faster to build an even closer China-Pakistan community with a shared future in the new era, work for more results in our all-weather cooperation, […] contribute to regional peace and stability and set an example for building a community with a shared future among neighbouring countries.”

Xi called PM Shehbaz an “old friend” and said the two countries had “understood, trusted and supported each other” over decades, forging an “unbreakable tradition of friendship”.

“Despite international changes, China has always prioritised Pakistan relations in our neighbourhood diplomacy,” Xi said.

Chief of Defence Forces and Chief of the Army Staff Field Marshal Asim Munir, who concluded his visit to Iran on Saturday, was also present on the occasion.

“I know that you have just returned from Iran and made positive efforts to mediate for peace. We appreciate the constructive role of Pakistan,” Xi said.

Following a rickety ceasefire achieved in the US-Israeli war on Iran in April, CDF Munir has been engaged in mediation efforts between Washington and Tehran. Weeks into Islamabad’s diplomatic efforts, the US has reported progress in negotiations with Iran.

Xi said Pakistani students in China were “committed to be builders of cooperation, promoters of exchanges and upholders of friendship of China and Pakistan”. He added he was “truly encouraged to see that our friendship is being carried forward by the younger generation”.

“Our strategic mutual trust and practical cooperation have greatly contributed to our respective development,” the Chinese president said.

Pakistan-China ties ‘next to none’

PM Shehbaz, in turn, called China and Pakistan two “iron brother” countries with a relationship that is “next to none”. He also hailed Xi as a “great friend of Pakistan and a great friend of peace-loving humanity”.

Hailing 75 years of “glorious partnership” in diplomatic relations, the premier said, “The credit goes to our founding fathers who worked very hard to build this relationship over the last more than seven decades.”

The prime minister assured the Chinese president that Islamabad and Beijing would together “build this relations in times to come from strength to strength”. He noted that there was a plan for “year-long celebrations” to mark 75 years of diplomatic ties.

“Under your dynamic leadership, China is not only a world-class economic power; it is also a military power, meant for progress and peace in the world, promoting your own philosophy of multilateralism around the globe,” PM Shehbaz said.

Commending Xi’s focus on prosperity through the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) and the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), he said, “This differentiates you as a towering figure around the globe.”

The premier further said, “I draw a lot of strength from your leadership.”

He highlighted that a “lot of transformation and structural changes” had been brought in Pakistan, but there was still a long way to go.

PM meets Chinese counterpart

Earlier in the day, PM Shehbaz called for Islamabad and Beijing to “really be together” in ongoing efforts to restore peace in the Middle East amid the war.

He made the remarks during bilateral talks with his Chinese counterpart Li Qiang at the Great Hall of the People. Addressing the delegation-level talks with Li, PM Shehbaz mentioned the Middle East conflict, saying that the “world is passing through a very critical moment”.

“I think we have to really be together, so that the world at large is at peace and business as usual starts again, because this crisis has hit not only the economy in the region […] but the global community,” he said.

“There is a crisis in the Gulf and Pakistan has played a very sincere role to mediate between the United States and Iran,” PM Shehbaz said, noting that CDF Munir had just returned from Tehran.

“And he didn’t want to miss this great visit, and he assured me that he will be joining me in this meeting, and he has been travelling throughout the night,” Shehbaz added.

The premier highlighted that the army chief “played a very important role back and forth with the Iranian leadership and the American leadership”, also mentioning Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar’s communications with his regional counterparts.

“We hope and pray to Allah Almighty that peace will be restored forever, and lots of ground has already been covered. Things are moving in the right direction,” PM Shehbaz said.

He thanked President Xi Jinping and the Chinese leadership for their “great support to Pakistan to promote peace and achieve a ceasefire”, adding that Islamabad fully endorsed Xi’s four-point peace agenda.

At the outset of his remarks, the prime minister thanked the Chinese side for its “very warm invitation” to visit China.

“It is always a great pleasure to visit your great country, and each time we come, we find new changes and major developments taking place all over this wonderful country,” he said.

The premier extended his condolences over the tragic gas explosion at a coal mine in Shanxi, where at least 82 people were killed.

PM Shehbaz stressed that the visit came at a “critical moment of history”, noting that both countries were celebrating 75 years of “our glorious friendship and diplomatic relations established by our founding fathers”.

“They did a great job, they laid a strong foundation, a strong edifice between our two countries and here we are, trying to take that legacy and moving in that direction,” he added.

An official statement said PM Shehbaz also thanked premier Li for the “warm reception” and reaffirmed that the Pakistan-China all-weather strategic cooperative partnership remained the cornerstone of Pakistan’s foreign policy.

He said that the “iron-clad friendship” between the two countries was rooted in mutual trust, strategic confidence and shared commitment to peace, development and prosperity.

According to the statement, the two leaders “reiterated their support on all issues of core interests to both countries”.

“They also agreed that CPEC has played a transformative role in the socio-economic development of Pakistan. They looked forward to the implementation of the next phase of CPEC,” the statement read.

It further said that the two leaders reviewed the whole spectrum of Pakistan-China relations and expressed satisfaction at the steady growth of bilateral cooperation in political, economic, strategic, security and people-to-people domains.

“PM Shehbaz emphasised that the 75th anniversary [of the establishment of diplomatic ties] should be used to translate the historic goodwill between Pakistan and China into practical, people-centred and future-oriented outcomes.

“He underlined the importance of regular high-level exchanges and close coordination in carrying forward the bilateral partnership,” it said.

Moreover, PM Shehbaz underscored Pakistan’s commitment to the “high-quality development of CPEC and its next phase, with focus on industrialisation, connectivity, agriculture, science and technology, digital transformation, clean energy and socio-economic development”.

He highlighted the importance of building synergies between China’s 15th Five-Year Plan and Pakistan’s development framework, Uraan Pakistan, to accelerate Pakistan’s development priorities and deepen mutually beneficial cooperation, the statement added.

It further stated that PM Shehbaz appreciated China’s “consistent support” to Pakistan’s national development and economic stability.

He reaffirmed Pakistan’s firm resolve to ensure foolproof security of Chinese nationals, institutions and projects in Pakistan and also highlighted the importance of enhanced cooperation in emerging sectors, including space, artificial intelligence and advanced technologies.

PM Shehbaz noted that the selection of Pakistani astronauts for China’s space station programme reflected the growing depth of Pakistan-China cooperation in new and strategic domains, the statement said.

“Both sides agreed to maintain close coordination, accelerate implementation of agreed projects and carry forward the Pakistan-China partnership into a new phase of practical, results-oriented and high-quality cooperation,” the statement concluded.

Apart from PM Shehbaz, CDF Munir, Deputy PM and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar, Planning and Development Minister Ahsan Iqbal, Food Security Minister Rana Tanveer Hussain, Information Minister Attaullah Tarar, IT Minister Shaza Fatema, Railways Minister Hanif Abbasi, Adviser to the PM Haroon Akhtar and Special Assistant to the PM Tariq Fatemi were also present on the occasion, according to the statement.

Separately, state-run Pakistan TV reported that PM Shehbaz and premier Li also witnessed the signing and exchange of multiple memoranda of understanding, protocols, and cooperation agreements covering trade, investment, agriculture, science and technology, climate change, education, media and people-to-people exchanges.

According to state-run APP , these 15 documents included an MoU on economic development cooperation and another on environment and climate change cooperation.

The two sides also signed a letter of handover for veterinary vaccines donation, along with the protocols on dried fruits, nuts and maize to be exported to China.

Moreover, both countries inked MoUs on conformity assessment cooperation, news cooperation and for cooperation between the Party School of the CPC Central Committee and Pakistan National School of Public Policy.

MoUs for co-production of documentaries and people-to-people exchanges in science and technology were also signed, as well as one on free trade and multilateralism. The two sides also signed a letter on counterterrorism equipment cooperation and an MoU on human resource development cooperation.

Lastly, they also signed MoUs on cooperation in the agriculture sector, and for cooperation between China Foreign Affairs University and the Foreign Service Academy of Pakistan.

PM Shehbaz was earlier presented with a guard of honour upon his arrival at the Great Hall of the People.

Both the leaders shook hands and introduced their respective delegations to each other. The national anthems of Pakistan and China were played as both leaders stood at the salute dias.

While in Beijing, the prime minister will also attend a reception hosted by the Chinese People’s Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries to commemorate the 75th anniversary of diplomatic relations between the two countries.

In his visit so far, PM Shehbaz has focused on bolstering multisectoral cooperation between Islamabad and Beijing, particularly in business and technology.

His visit began with pacts on bilateral cooperation, followed by meetings with the heads of major Chinese companies, including Alibaba Group. Memorandums of understanding (MoUs) and agreements “worth billions of dollars” were signed in Hangzhou.

On Sunday, he highlighted four key areas of future cooperation as he addressed a business forum.

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Additional input from APP