Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Monday called for Pakistan and China to work closely together to help restore peace in the Middle East amid the ongoing US-Israel war involving Iran.
He made the remarks during delegation-level talks with Chinese Premier Li Qiang at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing during his four-day official visit to China.
Speaking during the meeting, PM Shehbaz described the current global situation as a “very critical moment”.
“I think we have to really be together, so that the world at large is at peace and business as usual starts again, because this crisis has hit not only the economy in the region […] but the global community,” he said.
Chief of Defence Forces and Chief of Army Staff Asim Munir, who recently concluded a visit to Iran, was also present during the talks.
“There is a crisis in the Gulf and Pakistan has played a very sincere role to mediate between the United States and Iran,” PM Shehbaz said, adding that Field Marshal Munir had travelled overnight from Tehran to join the meeting.
“And he didn’t want to miss this great visit, and he assured me that he will be joining me in this meeting, and he has been travelling throughout the night,” the prime minister added.
PM Shehbaz said the army chief had played an important role in diplomatic engagement with both Iranian and American leadership, while Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar had also remained in contact with regional counterparts.
“We hope and pray to Allah Almighty that peace will be restored forever, and lots of ground has already been covered. Things are moving in the right direction,” he said.
The premier thanked Chinese President Xi Jinping and the Chinese leadership for supporting Pakistan’s efforts to promote peace and achieve a ceasefire, while reaffirming Islamabad’s support for Xi’s four-point peace initiative.
At the start of his remarks, PM Shehbaz thanked the Chinese government for the warm welcome and praised China’s rapid development and progress.
He also expressed condolences over the deadly gas explosion at a coal mine in Shanxi that reportedly killed at least 82 people.
The prime minister noted that the visit coincided with the 75th anniversary of diplomatic ties between Pakistan and China, describing the relationship as a legacy built by the founding leaders of both countries.
According to an official statement, PM Shehbaz reaffirmed that the Pakistan-China all-weather strategic cooperative partnership remained central to Pakistan’s foreign policy.
He described the “iron-clad friendship” between the two countries as being based on mutual trust, strategic cooperation and a shared commitment to peace and prosperity.
Both sides reiterated support for each other on issues concerning their core national interests and reviewed cooperation across political, economic, security and people-to-people sectors.
The two leaders also expressed satisfaction over the progress of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor, agreeing to move forward with the next phase of the project focused on industrialisation, connectivity, agriculture, technology, clean energy and socio-economic development.
PM Shehbaz also highlighted the need to align China’s 15th Five-Year Plan with Pakistan’s Uraan Pakistan development framework to deepen bilateral cooperation.
He appreciated China’s continued support for Pakistan’s economy and reaffirmed Islamabad’s commitment to ensuring the security of Chinese nationals and projects in Pakistan.
The prime minister further stressed the importance of cooperation in emerging sectors such as artificial intelligence, space technology and advanced innovation, noting that the inclusion of Pakistani astronauts in China’s space station programme reflected growing strategic cooperation between the two countries.
Separately, state-run media reported that both sides witnessed the signing of several memoranda of understanding and agreements covering trade, investment, agriculture, climate change, education, media, science and technology, and cultural exchanges.
Earlier, PM Shehbaz was presented with a guard of honour upon arriving at the Great Hall of the People, where the national anthems of Pakistan and China were played before the two leaders introduced their delegations.
During his visit, the prime minister is also scheduled to attend a reception marking 75 years of diplomatic relations between Pakistan and China hosted by the Chinese People’s Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries.
Since arriving in China, PM Shehbaz has focused on strengthening cooperation in business, technology and investment. His meetings with major Chinese firms, including Alibaba Group, resulted in multiple agreements and MoUs reportedly worth billions of dollars.
