ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has departed for China today on a four-day official visit, aimed at further strengthening bilateral strategic ties and expanding economic cooperation between the two countries.
The prime minister left for Hangzhou in the first leg of the visit, accompanied by a high-level delegation comprising Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar, Planning Minister Ahsan Iqbal, Information Minister Attaullah Tarar, IT Minister Shaza Fatima Khawaja, and Special Assistant to the Prime Minister Tariq Fatemi, according to the Government of Pakistan.
وزیرِ اعظم محمد شہباز شریف اپنے چار روزہ دورہء چین کے پہلے مرحلے میں ہانگژو روانہ.
نائب وزیرِ اعظم و وزیرِ خارجہ سینیٹر محمد اسحاق ڈار، وزیرِ منصوبہ بندی احسن اقبال، وزیرِ اطلاعات و نشریات عطاء اللہ تارڑ، وزیر آئی ٹی شزہ فاطمہ خواجہ اور معاون خصوصی طارق فاطمی وزیرِ اعظم کے ہمراہ… pic.twitter.com/NqJfxCkcfp
— Government of Pakistan (@GovtofPakistan) May 23, 2026
The visit carries significant diplomatic importance as Pakistan and China mark the 75th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations, highlighting the long-standing depth and stability of their partnership.
The Foreign Office (FO) stated that the visit will provide an important opportunity to reaffirm the enduring Pakistan-China All-Weather Strategic Cooperative Partnership and advance the shared vision of a stronger Pakistan-China Community with a Shared Future.
During his stay in Hangzhou, the prime minister is scheduled to meet the Party Secretary of Zhejiang province and will also chair the Pakistan-China Business-to-Business (B2B) Investment Conference, focusing on key sectors including information technology and telecommunications, Battery Energy Storage Systems (BESS), and agriculture.
He is also expected to witness the signing of several memorandums of understanding (MoUs) between companies from both countries, aimed at enhancing trade, investment, and economic collaboration.
Officials said the prime minister will meet leading Chinese business executives and visit the headquarters of Alibaba Group, where he will attend a ceremony for the signing of cooperation agreements.
In the second phase of the visit, Prime Minister Shehbaz will travel to Beijing, where he will hold high-level meetings with Chinese President Xi Jinping and Premier Li Qiang.
Both sides will review bilateral cooperation across political, economic, and strategic domains, with a particular focus on the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), trade, investment, industrial cooperation, agricultural modernisation, information technology, science and technology, and people-to-people exchanges.
The Foreign Office further stated that the visit is expected to strengthen political trust, deepen strategic coordination, expand practical cooperation, and reinforce the longstanding friendship between Pakistan and China.
