Parliament unites to welcome Chinese delegation on 75 years of diplomatic ties

ISLAMABAD: Lawmakers from the treasury and opposition benches in both houses of parliament on Wednesday came together to welcome a visiting Chinese parliamentary delegation, marking 75 years of diplomatic relations between Pakistan and China.

The delegation was led by Cai Dafeng, vice chairman of the standing committee of the 14th National People's Congress, and was accompanied by Chinese Ambassador Jiang Zaidong. Members of the delegation watched proceedings in the National Assembly and Senate from the visitors’ galleries, where they were formally received by legislators across the political spectrum.

In the National Assembly, the visit produced an unusual moment of unity amid ongoing political tensions. Opposition members, who had been boycotting proceedings over demands linked to the incarceration of former prime minister Imran Khan, returned to the chamber during the Chinese delegation’s presence. Led by Mahmood Khan Achakzai, they joined treasury members in extending a welcome, with desk-thumping in the house marking the occasion.

As leader of the opposition, Achakzai welcomed the delegation on behalf of opposition parties and referred to the longstanding friendship between Pakistan and China. He said the people of Pakistan would not forget China’s support and also praised Beijing’s role in regional stability and support for smaller countries. PTI leader Ali Muhammad Khan also spoke in the house and said the opposition stood with the government on international matters, referring to support during the May 2025 India conflict as well as the welcome extended to the Chinese delegation on the anniversary of diplomatic ties.

First Lady Aseefa Bhutto Zardari was also present during the proceedings and welcomed the visiting delegation. Speaker National Assembly Sardar Ayaz Sadiq formally greeted the delegation as it entered the visitors’ gallery.

Resolution adopted unanimously

The National Assembly unanimously passed a resolution moved by Federal Minister for Parliamentary Affairs Tariq Fazal Chaudhry to mark the 75th anniversary of diplomatic relations between the two countries. The resolution congratulated the governments and peoples of Pakistan and China on completing 75 years of ties and reaffirmed the house’s commitment to the all-weather strategic cooperative partnership.

It also reiterated support for the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor, describing it as an important initiative for socio-economic development, regional connectivity and shared prosperity, and pledged legislative backing for the timely completion of CPEC projects. The resolution further welcomed Cai Dafeng and the accompanying delegation, recorded appreciation for their goodwill visit, and stressed the importance of parliamentary diplomacy and legislative cooperation between Pakistan’s National Assembly and China’s National People’s Congress.

After the delegation left, opposition members resumed their boycott and walked out of the house.

Dar addresses Senate

In the Senate, Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Mohammad Ishaq Dar welcomed the Chinese delegation and said Pakistan-China relations had remained strong over the past 75 years. He said the two countries enjoyed an all-weather strategic cooperative partnership based on mutual trust, mutual respect and mutual benefit.

Dar said Pakistan valued China’s consistent support for its sovereignty and territorial integrity, while Pakistan remained committed to the One-China principle and continued to support China on its core interests and issues. He added that the two countries shared similar positions on regional and global matters and maintained close coordination at the United Nations, the Shanghai Cooperation Organization and other international forums.

Referring to tensions in the Gulf and the Middle East, Dar said Pakistan and China were in close diplomatic contact and were working together for peace and stability in the region. He said he had visited Beijing on March 31 at the invitation of Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi, where both sides proposed a five-point peace initiative on the regional conflict that later received backing from dozens of countries.

On CPEC, Dar described the corridor as the flagship project of the Belt and Road Initiative and a major symbol of bilateral friendship. He said it had changed Pakistan’s economic landscape and expressed confidence that its next phase would focus on industrialisation, agriculture, information technology and socio-economic development.

Recalling the period after the 2013 general elections, Dar said Pakistan had been facing acute electricity shortages, with load-shedding reaching up to 18 hours in urban areas and 20 hours in rural areas. He said China had provided major support that helped Pakistan address the energy crisis.

Dar also told the Senate that Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif would pay an official visit to China from May 23 to 26 with a high-level delegation. He said the trip would include events linked to the 75th anniversary of diplomatic relations, meetings with Chinese leaders including President Xi Jinping and Premier Li Qiang, and discussions under the Pakistan-China Political Forum and the CPEC Joint Consultative Mechanism.