During President Asif Ali Zardari’s five-day state visit to China, Pakistan and China reinforced their “iron-clad” friendship and strategic partnership. Zardari held discussions with President Xi Jinping and other senior Chinese officials.
A joint statement released by the Foreign Office on Thursday revealed that the two countries signed several agreements, focusing on areas such as economic cooperation, trade, technology, defense, and people-to-people exchanges.
High-Level discussions during Zardari’s visit to China
President Zardari, who visited China from February 4 to 8 at the invitation of President Xi Jinping, also attended the opening ceremony of the Ninth Asian Winter Games.
In a warm and friendly meeting, both leaders discussed deepening their strategic partnership, regional security, and economic collaboration. Zardari also met with Chinese Premier Li Qiang and National People’s Congress Chairman Zhao Leji.
Both sides hailed the China-Pakistan All-Weather Strategic Cooperative Partnership as a “choice by history and by the people,” emphasizing that any attempts to undermine their relationship would fail.
President Xi reaffirmed that Pakistan remains a priority in China’s foreign policy, while Zardari reiterated that China is the cornerstone of Pakistan’s foreign relations.
China and Pakistan have agreed to fast-track progress on the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), with plans to transform it into a “growth corridor” focused on industrial, green, and technological advancements.
Both nations committed to speeding up key projects, including the Main Line-1 (ML-1) railway upgrade, the realignment of the Karakoram Highway, and the development of Gwadar Port.
China has also committed to supporting Pakistan’s economic transformation through its National Economic Transformation Plan (Uran), while Pakistan welcomed increased Chinese investments in special economic zones. Both countries agreed to explore further collaboration in mining, agriculture, and energy, with China offering assistance in addressing Pakistan’s power shortages.
Pakistan strongly condemned the terrorist attacks targeting Chinese nationals and assured China of increased security measures for Chinese personnel, projects, and institutions in Pakistan. Both nations reaffirmed their zero-tolerance stance on terrorism and pledged to enhance counterterrorism cooperation at both bilateral and multilateral levels. Additionally, China expressed its willingness to support Pakistan in building its counterterrorism capacity.
During the visit, more than a dozen agreements were signed, focusing on key areas such as CPEC, trade, science and technology, people’s livelihoods, and media cooperation. President Zardari invited President Xi to visit Pakistan, an invitation that was warmly accepted, with both sides agreeing to coordinate through diplomatic channels.
President Zardari expressed his gratitude to President Xi and the Chinese government for their warm hospitality, reaffirming Pakistan’s dedication to strengthening its ties with China. The visit highlighted the enduring strength of the Pakistan-China partnership and laid the foundation for even greater cooperation in the future.
