Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has arrived in Beijing for an important four day official visit aimed at strengthening ties between Pakistan and China. During the visit, the premier is expected to hold high level meetings with Chinese President Xi Jinping and Premier Li Qiang to discuss economic cooperation, trade, investment, and development projects under the second phase of CPEC.
Before reaching Beijing, the prime minister visited Hangzhou where he attended the third Pakistan China Business to Business Investment Conference. The event focused on sectors including solar technology, electric vehicle charging infrastructure, battery storage systems, pharmaceuticals, and industrial cooperation. During the conference, several Pakistani and Chinese companies signed memorandums of understanding worth $1.22 billion, highlighting growing confidence between the two countries.
The prime minister also met executives from leading Chinese companies such as Alibaba Group, CATL, and StarCharge to explore partnerships in clean energy and modern technology. Discussions mainly focused on advanced batteries, solar powered solutions, and industrial investment opportunities in Pakistan.
While addressing investors, PM Shehbaz stated that rising labour costs in China have created opportunities for Chinese industries to relocate manufacturing units to Pakistan. He encouraged Chinese companies to establish factories and joint ventures in sectors such as textiles, leather, agriculture, and minerals. He added that Pakistan offers competitive labour, special economic zones, and investor friendly policies for international businesses.
The prime minister also highlighted Pakistan’s agricultural potential and expressed hope that agricultural exports to China could increase significantly over the next few years. He assured Chinese investors of full government support, modern infrastructure, and long term business opportunities.
The visit comes as both countries celebrate 75 years of diplomatic relations, reflecting the deep and long standing friendship between the two nations.
