Shehbaz Sharif said Pakistan is entering a new phase of cooperation under CPEC 2.0 focusing on agriculture, IT, AI, mining
By Pervaiz Mughal
ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has described Pakistan’s relationship with China as one of the most “reliable and time-tested” partnerships in the world, saying it had consistently withstood shifting geopolitical pressures and stood firm through decades of regional and global change.
Speaking at a ceremony in Islamabad marking the 75th anniversary of diplomatic relations between Pakistan and China, the prime minister said the friendship between the two countries represented a rare example of sustained strategic cooperation. He said China’s economic rise and military strength were widely acknowledged internationally and continued to serve as a model for development and national resilience.
Shehbaz Sharif said Pakistan was now entering what he described as a new phase of cooperation under the China–Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC 2.0), with expanded focus on agriculture, information technology, artificial intelligence, and the mining and minerals sector. He said these areas were central to Pakistan’s development priorities and would form the basis of what he called a shared path towards economic transformation.
Reiterating the depth of bilateral ties, the prime minister said China had remained Pakistan’s “most steadfast and most trusted friend,” adding that the relationship had gone beyond diplomacy into a broader framework of strategic alignment and people-to-people exchange.
He recalled an earlier initiative in which he had announced the dispatch of 1,000 Pakistani agriculture graduates to China for modern training. He said those trainees had since returned and were now contributing to efforts aimed at improving agricultural productivity and modernising farming practices in Pakistan.
Addressing the Chinese leadership, Shehbaz Sharif said celebrations marking the anniversary would continue throughout the year, and expressed the hope that President Xi Jinping would visit Pakistan in the near future to take part in the commemorative events.
The ceremony also featured symbolic gestures underscoring the diplomatic milestone. The prime minister unveiled commemorative coins issued to mark the 75th anniversary of bilateral relations and later cut a ceremonial cake, alongside officials and guests.
He ended his remarks with a reaffirmation of what he called the enduring spirit of friendship between the two countries, echoing the long-standing political slogan: “Pakistan–China friendship, Zindabad.”
