Pakistan and China have agreed to maintain close coordination, accelerate implementation of agreed projects and carry forward the bilateral partnership into a new phase of practical, results-oriented and high-quality cooperation.
The agreement was reached at a meeting between Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Chinese Premier Li Qiang in Beijing today.
The meeting was held in the backdrop of the 75th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between Pakistan and China.
The two leaders reviewed the whole spectrum of Pakistan-China relations and expressed satisfaction at the steady growth of bilateral cooperation in political, economic, strategic, security and people-to-people domains.
They reiterated their support on all issues of core interests to both countries.
The two leaders also agreed that CPEC has played a transformative role in socio-economic development of Pakistan. They looked forward to implementation of the next phase of CPEC.
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif emphasized that the 75th anniversary should be used to translate the historic goodwill between Pakistan and China into practical, people-centred and future-oriented outcomes.
He highlighted the importance of building synergies between China’s 15th Five-Year Plan and Pakistan’s development framework, Uraan Pakistan, to accelerate Pakistan’s development priorities and deepen mutually beneficial cooperation.
He reaffirmed Pakistan’s firm resolve to ensure foolproof security of Chinese nationals, institutions and projects in Pakistan.
Shehbaz Sharif also highlighted the importance of enhanced cooperation in emerging sectors, including space, artificial intelligence and advanced technologies.
The Prime Minister thanked Premier Li Qiang for the warm reception and reaffirmed that the Pakistan-China All-Weather Strategic Cooperative Partnership remains the cornerstone of Pakistan’s foreign policy.
He said the iron-clad friendship between the two countries is rooted in mutual trust, strategic confidence and shared commitment to peace, development and prosperity.
