President Zardari, Premier Li Qiang reaffirm commitment to shared future and regional development.
President Asif Ali Zardari met with Chinese Premier Li Qiang in Beijing on Thursday, where both leaders reaffirmed their commitment to strengthening the Pakistan-China strategic cooperative partnership, according to a statement from the President’s House.
Zardari’s visit to China is part of an ongoing trip accompanied by senior ministers. A day before, he had discussions with President Xi Jinping, during which both sides acknowledged the positive momentum in their bilateral relations.
During his meeting with Premier Li, President Zardari emphasized the longstanding and deeply rooted nature of the China-Pakistan all-weather strategic cooperative partnership, which has been nurtured over generations by leaders from both nations.
He reiterated Pakistan’s dedication to further deepening bilateral ties and highlighted the unwavering, time-tested friendship between the two countries. Zardari also underscored the critical role of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) in enhancing regional connectivity and economic progress, expressing gratitude for China’s continued support of Pakistan’s development goals.
China has invested over $65 billion in Pakistan’s road, infrastructure, and development projects under CPEC, which is considered a vital component of the country’s economic growth. In December 2024, Islamabad and Beijing renewed their commitment to further advancing CPEC.
The discussions between the two sides focused on advancing high-quality development under the next phase of CPEC, known as CPEC 2.0. Key areas of collaboration included renewable energy, science and technology, infrastructure, and agriculture to promote mutual progress and prosperity.
Additionally, both countries explored opportunities to boost trade and economic ties through business-to-business (B2B) engagement and private-sector partnerships.
Emphasizing the need to strengthen cultural and people-to-people exchanges, both sides agreed on fostering closer ties to build a China-Pakistan community with a shared future in the new era.
Zardari’s visit comes shortly after Pakistan’s Foreign Office dismissed “baseless and unfounded” allegations questioning the country’s commitment to China’s policies. The controversy arose after Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi attended an event in the United States.
Naqvi’s presence at the event, organized by the US-based political lobby group New Federal State of China—comprising Chinese dissidents and American figures advocating for the overthrow of China’s Communist Party—was seen as a diplomatic misstep. Given China’s status as Pakistan’s key ally, the incident prompted several official statements from Pakistani authorities and the Foreign Office reaffirming the country’s strong ties with China.
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