Pakistan has highlighted the Digital Silk Road as the next major phase of the China–Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) while proposing new technology partnerships with China, including joint ventures in 5G/6G, hardware manufacturing, ICT components, AI, and cloud computing. The announcement came during the World Telecommunication Development Conference in Baku, where Pakistan’s IT Minister Shaza Fatima Khawaja met with Zhang Yunmeng, Vice Minister of China’s Ministry of Industry and Information Technology.
Launched in 2015, CPEC is a multibillion-dollar connectivity initiative linking western China to the Arabian Sea, initially focusing on energy projects, highways, power plants, and the Gwadar port. With the proposed digital expansion, Pakistan aims to modernize its local industry, integrate tech supply chains with China, and position itself as a regional hub for digital transit and services.
As part of the collaboration, Pakistan requested joint efforts to overcome structural barriers limiting developing countries from entering global technology supply chains. The countries also discussed industrial digital upgrading under China’s “Intelligent Manufacturing” model, aiming to modernize Pakistan’s factories and align them with emerging technologies.
The proposals reflect Islamabad’s commitment to deepen digital cooperation under CPEC, covering cybersecurity, AI, cloud computing, and talent exchange programs. Both sides agreed that this digital track could support long-term technological collaboration and regional connectivity, strengthening bilateral ties between Pakistan and China.
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