ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar announced on Wednesday that Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif will undertake an official visit to China from May 23 to 26, as Islamabad and Beijing continue to deepen cooperation in trade, technology and digital connectivity.
Speaking at the launch ceremony of the IBI Pakistan Digital Economy Headquarters in Islamabad, Dar said the visit “will also include a very vibrant B2B business forum.”
Highlighting the growing partnership between the two countries, Dar said, “Today, with the launch of the IBI Digital Economy Headquarters in Pakistan, we take another significant step together towards innovation, digital connectivity and the economy of the future as our partnership enters a new phase in the digital age.”
He described Pakistan-China relations as unique, stating, “Pakistan-China friendship is not ordinary diplomacy.”
“It is a relationship tested by time and strengthened by trust. When the world was uncertain, this partnership remained steady. When Pakistan needed support, China was always there,” he added.
‘True digital corridor’
Dar said China has remained a “consistent and reliable partner” for Pakistan and noted that bilateral cooperation is now shifting towards technology and digital infrastructure.
“Today we are moving from roads to networks, from physical infrastructure to digital architecture,” the foreign minister said.
He noted that Chinese companies have already made significant contributions to fiber-optic connectivity between Pakistan and China, helping establish what he called a “true digital corridor.”
He added that cooperation in artificial intelligence and emerging technologies is also expanding rapidly.
Referring to the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor and the Belt and Road Initiative, Dar said Pakistan had attracted “tens of billions of dollars in transformative investments in infrastructure and connectivity.”
He added that bilateral cooperation now extends beyond infrastructure into digital transformation, agriculture, disaster management, climate resilience, healthcare, education, ICT and smart cities.
Discussing the emerging Pakistan-China digital corridor, Dar said it would “not only deepen bilateral ties, but also create opportunities for the wider global south.”
‘Digital Silk Road’
“Pakistan is not a country waiting for its moment,” Dar said. “In our assessment, Alhamdulillah, Pakistan has reached at that moment, which has been waited for many decades so far.”
He said Pakistan’s population of 240 million, growing youth demographic and global diaspora positioned the country for rapid economic growth and digital transformation.
“Pakistan's digital economy is expanding rapidly, driven by growing internet penetration, increasing mobile connectivity, and rising innovation across the technology sector,” he said.
“With a young talent base and growing digital ecosystem, Pakistan is well-positioned to become an important hub for digital investment, technology partnerships, and innovation in the region.”
Welcoming Beijing United Information Technology to Pakistan, Dar described the firm as representing “the kind of partnership we seek — technology-driven, market-oriented, and transformative.”
“A platform serving millions of enterprises across more than 100 industrial sectors in China is now entering Pakistan, and that reflects strong confidence in our economy and future potential,” he said.
Dar also thanked the company’s leadership for fulfilling their commitment to establish operations in Pakistan.
“Today we are building a digital Silk Road,” he said. “It begins today with the launch of IBI headquarters in Islamabad.”
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