Full Breakdown
Shehbaz Sharif’s Beijing Visit Marks 75 Years of Pakistan-China Partnership
5/22/2026, 2:55:33 AM
Core Event: High-Level Visit and Anniversary Celebrations
From Saturday 23 May to Tuesday 26 May 2026, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif travelled to Beijing for a three-day visit that coincided with the 75th anniversary of diplomatic relations between Pakistan and China. The itinerary included meetings with President Xi Jinping, Premier Li Qiang, and a reception in Zhejiang Province. Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokesman Guo Jiakun said the leaders would “exchange views on bilateral relations and issues of common concern.” The visit was announced without confirming whether the ongoing US-Iran conflict would be on the agenda.
Historical Foundations and Diplomatic Milestones
Pakistan recognised the People’s Republic of China on 21 May 1951, becoming the first Muslim country to do so. Over the ensuing seven-and-a-half decades the relationship has been described by President Asif Ali Zardari as a “cornerstone of Pakistan’s foreign policy” and by Xi as an “all-weather strategic cooperative partnership.” Key milestones include President Xi’s 2015 state visit that launched the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) and regular strategic dialogues such as the 2024-25 China-Pakistan Foreign Ministers’ Strategic Dialogue.
Principal Actors and Institutional Partners
- Shehbaz Sharif – Pakistani Prime Minister, host of the Beijing visit.
- Xi Jinping – President of China, reaffirmed support for Pakistan’s mediation role.
- Li Qiang – Chinese Premier, pledged to upgrade CPEC to “Version 2.0.”
- Guo Jiakun – Ministry spokesperson, highlighted China’s contribution to Middle-East peace.
- Cai Dafeng – Vice-Chairman of the 14th NPC Standing Committee, emphasized “ironclad friendship.”
- Qian Feng – Tsinghua University analyst, projected deeper economic ties.
Trade, Investment, and CPEC Metrics
- Bilateral trade reached US $23.1 billion in 2024 (Chinese sources).
- Pakistan’s exports to China rose 44.79 % in Q1 2025, totaling US $2.38 billion for FY 2024-25.
- China supplied ? 36 GW of solar PV modules (2019-mid-2025) and saw a 68 % increase in lithium-battery imports in H1 2025.
- Chinese foreign direct investment accounted for 53.2 % of total FDI inflows to Pakistan (July 2025-Feb 2026).
- CPEC Phase I added 8,000 MW of generation capacity, built 510 km of motorways, and created ? 261,000 jobs by mid-2025.
- Emerging projects under “CPEC 2.0” target domestic assembly of solar cells, EV manufacturing (? 2 million two- and three-wheelers annually), and expanded digital-technology cooperation.
Strategic Implications for Regional Stability and Mediation
Both governments have positioned the partnership as a platform for “fair and balanced” mediation in the US-Iran war that began after February 2026 strikes. Guo stated that China would work with Pakistan to “make positive contributions to the early restoration of peace and stability in the Middle East.” Pakistan’s army chief Gen. Asim Munir was concurrently in Tehran for talks, underscoring Islamabad’s active diplomatic role.
Official Statements & Responses
Pakistani officials repeatedly affirmed unwavering support for the “One China” policy and highlighted CPEC as a “great manifestation” of Chinese commitment to Pakistan’s development. Sharif described China as a “solid rock” during crises and pledged continued cooperation across trade, energy, defence, and education. Chinese leaders echoed these sentiments, emphasizing mutual strategic trust, the intent to deepen “all-weather” cooperation, and readiness to expand CPEC to a second phase that includes agriculture, mining, and green-development projects.
Criticism & Opposition
Some external analysts have framed CPEC as a “debt-trap.” A Sustainable Development Policy Institute (SDPI) study countered this narrative, noting that Chinese loans to Pakistan are largely concessional (effective interest 2.5-3.5 %) and that macro-economic factors, not sovereign coercion, drive debt vulnerability.
Conflicting Reports & Gaps
Trade figures differ across sources: Chinese reports cite a total bilateral trade of US $23.1 billion for 2024, while Pakistani data focus on US $2.38 billion of exports to China for FY 2024-25. No source provides a unified breakdown of imports versus exports, leaving the precise trade balance unclear.
Verbatim Quotes
- “China supports Pakistan in playing a fair and balanced mediating role in promoting peace and ending the war,” — Guo Jiakun, Ministry spokesperson
- “Pakistan was the first Muslim country to recognise China and one of the first countries in the world to do so.” — Shehbaz Sharif, Prime Minister of Pakistan
- “The ‘debt-trap’ framing of CPEC, while politically resonant in some Western analyses, does not survive disciplined examination of the data,” — Sustainable Development Policy Institute, research report
What’s Next
The visit is expected to culminate in a joint communiqué outlining CPEC 2.0 milestones, expanded RMB-based trade settlement via the Cross-Border Interbank Payment System, and Pakistan’s upcoming chairmanship of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (2026-27). Sharif’s Zhejiang itinerary signals a push to attract additional Chinese private-sector investment in high-tech and green-energy projects.
