Pakistan PM lands in China on 4-day visit to boost CPEC Phase-II cooperation

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Saturday arrived in China on a four-day official visit, aimed at deepening bilateral cooperation and advancing projects under China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) Phase-II, his office said.

Upon arrival in the Hangzhou Xiaoshan International Airport, the prime minister was received by Zhejiang province’s vice governor.

“The first document was the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on the establishment of sister-province relations between Zhejiang Province and Punjab Province,” the statement added.

The MoU aims to promote cooperation in the fields of trade, investment, agriculture, education, culture, tourism and people-to-people contacts.

PM Sharif further said that cooperation at the provincial level is an ‘important pillar’ of Pakistan-China relations and can play a significant role in advancing CPEC Phase 2 through industrial cooperation, agricultural modernization, technology sharing and export-led development.

During the visit, the Prime Minister said Pakistan attaches great importance to promoting cooperation with Zhejiang Province, especially in the areas of digital economy, e-commerce, information technology, telecommunications, agriculture, renewable energy, modern industrialization and skills development.

The Prime Minister added that the development of Zhejiang is a living example of how environmental protection, green development and high-quality economic growth can be promoted in a mutually supportive manner.

“The Prime Minister appreciated the magnificent development projects of Zhejiang Province and praised President Xi Jinping for the far-sighted leadership he carried out as Party Secretary of the CPC Zhejiang Provincial Committee,” it added.

The Prime Minister also attended the signing ceremony of a document on the establishment of a China-Pakistan Joint Technology Research Center between Hangzhou Normal University and the Pakistani Embassy in Beijing.

“The center will promote academic cooperation, practical research, technology exchange and linkages between Pakistan and China institutions,” the statement said.

The Prime Minister said that Pakistan and China are celebrating the 75th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations and the two countries are entering a new era of people-friendly, development-oriented and practical cooperation.

Following the Hangzhou engagements, the prime minister will travel to Beijing for meetings with Chinese President Xi Jinping and Premier Li Qiang.

The prime minister is also scheduled to visit the China Academy of Agricultural Sciences during the trip.

Officials said the visit is expected to further strengthen Pakistan-China strategic ties and open new avenues of economic, technological and agricultural cooperation, particularly under CPEC Phase 2.