HANGZHOU/ISLAMABAD – Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif said Saturday that Pakistan and China are entering a new phase of practical, people-centric and development-oriented cooperation.
He was talking to Party Secretary of CPC Zhejiang Provincial Committee, Wang Hao, in Hangzhou.
The prime minister appreciated the remarkable development achievements of Zhejiang Province and praised visionary leadership of President Xi Jinping during his tenure as Party Secretary of the CPC Zhejiang Provincial Committee, particularly the concept that “lucid waters and lush mountains are invaluable assets.”
He said Zhejiang’s development offered an important example of how ecological conservation, green development, and high-quality economic growth could advance in a mutually reinforcing manner.
The prime minister said Pakistan attached high importance to strengthening cooperation with Zhejiang Province, particularly in the fields of the digital economy, e-commerce, information technology, telecommunications, agriculture, renewable energy, advanced manufacturing, and skill development.
He noted that provincial cooperation constituted an important pillar of Pakistan-China relations and could play a significant role in advancing CPEC Phase-II through industrial cooperation, agricultural modernisation, technology collaboration, and export-oriented development.
The prime minister also witnessed the signing of two cooperation documents.
The first was a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on the establishment of a sister-province relationship between Zhejiang Province and Punjab Province.
The MoU aims to promote cooperation in trade, investment, agriculture, education, culture, tourism, and people-to-people exchanges.
The prime minister also witnessed the signing of a document of understanding between Hangzhou Normal University and the Embassy of Pakistan in Beijing for the establishment of the China-Pakistan Joint Technology Research Centre at the university.
The centre will promote academic cooperation, applied research, technology exchange, and institutional linkages between Pakistan and China.
Also, PM Shehbaz Sharif reaffirmed shared commitment to further strengthening the enduring bond of friendship between two brotherly countries, Pakistan and China.
In a post on his X account, the PM said he has arrived in the beautiful and dynamic city of Hangzhou in Zhejiang Province as part of his official visit to China. He expressed deep gratitude to the leadership of Zhejiang Province for the warm welcome extended to him and his delegation.
The PM said he also looks forward to strengthening practical cooperation with Zhejiang Province across diverse fields, including digital economy, e-commerce, information technology, telecommunications, agriculture, renewable energy, advanced manufacturing, and skills development.
Shehbaz Sharif added that as Pakistan and China commemorate 75 years of diplomatic relations, he looks forward to engaging with President Xi Jinping and the Chinese leadership.
PM Shehbaz Sharif on Saturday arrived in Hangzhou on the first phase of his four-day official visit to China. Upon his arrival at Xiaoshan International Airport in Hangzhou, the prime minister was received by Vice Governor Zhejiang Province Xu Wenguang, China’s Ambassador to Pakistan Jiang Zaidong and Pakistan’s Ambassador to China Khalil Hashmi, the PM Office Media Wing said in a press release.
Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Senator Mohammad Ishaq Dar, Minister for Planning Ahsan Iqbal, Minister for Information and Broadcasting Attaullah Tarar, Minister for IT Shaza Fatima Khawaja and Special Assistant Tariq Fatemi are accompanying the prime minister during the visit.
During his stay in Hangzhou, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif will meet Zhejiang Party Secretary Wang Hao. He will also attend a business forum aimed at promoting cooperation between Pakistani and Chinese companies under Phase-II of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor, besides witnessing the exchange of agreements and memorandums of understanding.
The prime minister is also scheduled to meet chief executive officers of leading Chinese companies. He will visit the headquarters of Alibaba Group and attend a ceremony for the signing of memoranda of understanding on cooperation.
