Beijing, 2 September 2025( Kamran Raja): Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif, who is currently on an official visit to China, met with His Excellency President Xi Jinping of the People’s Republic of China at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing today. During their warm and cordial meeting, the two leaders reaffirmed their shared commitment to further strengthen the iron-clad, all-weather strategic cooperative partnership between Pakistan and China. The Prime Minister congratulated President Xi Jinping on the successful conclusion of the SCO Council of Heads of State Summit in Tianjin and extended felicitations on the 80th anniversary of the World’s Anti-Fascist War. Lauding President Xi’s visionary and transformational leadership that continues to inspire China’s journey towards modernization and prosperity, the Prime Minister said Pakistan takes great pride in China’s achievements and stands ready to work closely with China in this shared journey. The Prime Minister appreciated China’s steadfast support for Pakistan’s sovereignty, territorial integrity, and socio-economic development. He underscored the significance of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) as the flagship project of President Xi’s Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) and reaffirmed Pakistan’s commitment to the successful implementation of the upgraded phase of CPEC, with its five new corridors, which will further strengthen the Pakistan-China community with a shared future.
The Prime Minister also hailed President Xi’s strong commitment to multilateralism and expressed Pakistan’s support for China’s landmark initiatives including the Global Governance Initiative, Global Development Initiative, Global Security Initiative, and Global Civilization Initiative. He said these initiatives would serve the collective good of humanity by advancing peace, stability, and sustainable development. President Xi reaffirmed China’s resolve to continue supporting Pakistan in all areas of economic growth and development, particularly as the two countries move into the second phase of CPEC focusing on Pakistan’s key economic sectors. The two leaders emphasized that the Pakistan-China relationship is unique and unparalleled, and agreed on the need to reflect this in enhanced bilateral cooperation. They also exchanged views on important regional and global developments and agreed to maintain close coordination in this regard. On the occasion, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif renewed his most cordial invitation to President Xi Jinping to undertake an official visit to Pakistan next year, when the two countries will celebrate the 75th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations.