Shehbaz Sharif visits Beijing for deals

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif arrived in China on May 23 for a four-day official visit that Pakistan and China are framing around the 75th anniversary of diplomatic ties. Pakistan’s Foreign Ministry said the trip runs from May 23 to May 26 and includes meetings with President Xi Jinping and Premier Li Qiang. The ministry said the two sides would review political, economic and strategic cooperation, with specific attention to trade, investment, industrial cooperation, agricultural modernization, information technology, science and technology, and the high-quality development of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor, or CPEC. (mofa.gov.pk) The visit began in Hangzhou, Zhejiang province, before moving to Beijing. Pakistan’s Foreign Ministry said Sharif was scheduled to chair a Pakistan-China B2B Investment Conference focused on IT and telecom, battery energy storage systems and agriculture. (mofa.gov.pk) Pakistani state media and local coverage said the opening leg also included meetings in Zhejiang tied to technology cooperation and provincial links. ### Why was Hangzhou the first stop? Hangzhou was listed by Pakistan’s Foreign Ministry as the opening stop for the business-heavy part of the trip. The ministry said Sharif would chair the Pakistan-China B2B Investment Conference there, with the agenda centered on IT and telecom, battery storage and agriculture rather than only government-to-government talks. (mofa.gov.pk) Pakistan Today reported on May 23 that Sharif signed a Zhejiang-Punjab sister-province memorandum and a technology research agreement during the Hangzhou leg. That report said the visit was meant to deepen strategic and economic ties and support what Pakistani officials describe as the second phase of CPEC. (mofa.gov.pk) ### Which sectors are actually on the table? Pakistan’s official “curtain raiser” for the trip named the sectors in unusual detail. The Foreign Ministry said talks would cover agricultural modernization, information technology, science and technology, trade, investment and industrial cooperation, alongside CPEC. It separately said the business conference would focus on IT and telecom, battery energy storage systems and agriculture. (mofa.gov.pk) Those details line up with recent statements from Pakistani officials before the trip. Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb told Radio Pakistan that the first phase of CPEC had centered on infrastructure and that business-to-business ties were now the hallmark of the second phase. (pakistantoday.com.pk) ### What has been announced so far — and what has not? As of May 24, official pre-visit and early-visit material confirmed the travel dates, the meeting schedule and the sectoral agenda, but did not publish a comprehensive financial total for new deals. Pakistan’s Foreign Ministry described the visit as an opportunity to expand practical cooperation, while China’s Foreign Ministry described it as an official visit at Premier Li Qiang’s invitation. (mofa.gov.pk) Photos and video circulated by Pakistani officials on X showed Sharif in meetings and at business events in China, including posts by Information Minister Attaullah Tarar. But the material reviewed publicly emphasized the sectors and the symbolism of the anniversary rather than giving a full package value or a dated list of signed agreements. (radio.gov.pk) ### How are both governments framing the trip? May 22 statements from Islamabad and Beijing both placed the visit inside the 75th anniversary of diplomatic relations. Pakistan’s Foreign Ministry called it a chance to reaffirm the “All-Weather Strategic Cooperative Partnership,” while China’s Foreign Ministry said Sharif would visit from May 23 to 26 at Li’s invitation. (mofa.gov.pk) Pakistani officials have also linked the visit to broader commercial outreach. The Foreign Ministry said Sharif would attend a reception in Beijing hosted by the Chinese People’s Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries to mark the anniversary. (radio.gov.pk) ### What comes next in Beijing? Beijing is the next stage of the visit, and Pakistan’s Foreign Ministry said Sharif is due to meet Xi Jinping and Li Qiang there before the trip ends on May 26. The ministry also said he would attend the anniversary reception in Beijing, where both sides are expected to continue talks on trade, investment, technology, agriculture and CPEC-related cooperation. (mofa.gov.pk)