President Xi, PM Shehbaz pledge new era of China-Pakistan strategic partnership as ties mark 75 historic years

-- Pakistan reaffirms support for one-China principle, Beijing vows unwavering backing to Islamabad

-- PM Shehbaz seeks alignment of CPEC 2.0 with China's 15th Five-Year Development Plan

-- President Xi calls China-Pakistan friendship 'unbreakable' amid shifting global landscape

-- Pakistan, China pledge deeper cooperation in space technology, clean energy and digital transformation

BEIJING: Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif and Chinese President Xi Jinping on Monday agreed to carry forward the historic legacy of Pakistan-China friendship and transform the 75th anniversary of diplomatic relations into a new phase of strategic, practical and future-oriented cooperation.

The prime minister held a warm and cordial meeting with President Xi Jinping in Beijing, reaffirming the enduring strength of the Pakistan-China “All-Weather Strategic Cooperative Partnership,” according to a statement issued by the Prime Minister’s Office.

Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Senator Ishaq Dar, Chief of Army Staff and Chief of Defence Forces Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir, along with senior ministers and government officials, were also present during the meeting.

Prime Minister Shehbaz thanked President Xi for the warm hospitality and reiterated that relations with China remained the cornerstone of Pakistan’s foreign policy. He said the iron-clad friendship between the two countries had acquired even greater strategic significance amid evolving regional and global dynamics.

Reaffirming Pakistan’s unwavering support for China’s core interests, including the One-China Principle, the prime minister appreciated Beijing’s consistent support for Pakistan’s sovereignty, territorial integrity, economic stability and national development.

Referring to his recent visit to Hangzhou, PM Shehbaz praised President Xi Jinping’s transformative leadership during his tenure in Zhejiang Province and commended his visionary role in turning China into a major global power.

The prime minister also appreciated China’s support for Pakistan’s efforts aimed at promoting regional peace and stability, noting that President Xi Jinping’s four-point proposal for regional peace had received wide appreciation.

He observed that, during turbulent global times, Pakistan-China friendship and cooperation continued to serve as a stabilising force for the region and beyond.

PM Shehbaz further lauded President Xi’s visionary global initiatives, including the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), Global Development Initiative (GDI), Global Security Initiative (GSI), Global Civilization Initiative (GCI), and Global Governance Initiative, while reaffirming Pakistan’s support for the concept of a “Community with a Shared Future for Humanity.”

The prime minister pledged to further deepen bilateral cooperation and stressed the need to enhance strategic coordination, accelerate high-quality development of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), and align China’s 15th Five-Year Plan with Pakistan’s national development framework “Uraan Pakistan.”

He said such alignment would open new avenues of cooperation in industrialisation, connectivity, agriculture, science and technology, clean energy and digital transformation.

Highlighting emerging areas of cooperation, PM Shehbaz noted that the selection of Pakistani astronauts for China’s space station programme reflected the growing depth and strategic nature of bilateral ties.

President Xi Jinping, while addressing the meeting, said China and Pakistan had built an “unbreakable traditional friendship” founded on mutual understanding, trust and unwavering support.

He emphasised that China would continue to prioritise relations with Pakistan in its neighbourhood diplomacy regardless of changing international circumstances, reaffirming Beijing’s enduring commitment to strengthening the strategic partnership between the two countries.