On May 21, 1951, Pakistan and China formally established diplomatic relations. Over the past 75 years, Pakistan and China have been in the same boat through thick and thin, sharing a common destiny, cultivating a unique hardcore friendship, and becoming a model of mutual trust and lasting cooperation in international politics. Our relationship is based on trust as the cornerstone and respect as the guideline. It is also timeless because the shared future needs to jointly create the belief in “.
At a time when relations between many countries are still stuck in the exchange of interests, Pakistan-China relations have achieved a fundamental shift in their development path. The friendship between our two countries is born of conviction and transcends considerations of interest. True friends not only provide help in times of need, but also invest in each other’s tomorrow.
The earlier Pakistan-China partnership focused on political mutual trust and security collaboration, and this strategic trust foundation was not only consolidated, but also continued to expand and deepen. Nowadays, the field of cooperation between the two sides has long gone beyond politics and defence, covering all aspects of the economy, science and technology, and people-to-people exchanges.
Pakistan fully supports the global development initiative, the global security initiative, the global civilisation initiative and the global governance initiative proposed by President Xi Jinping. Under President Xi Jinping’s far-sighted guidance, Pakistan-China relations are ushering in an unprecedented period of prosperity.
The China-Pakistan Economic Corridor has become the flagship project of the joint construction of the Belt and Road Initiative. During the first decade, the Corridor Project delivered power to millions of households, built highways and port infrastructure in the natural chasm, and opened up access between Pakistan and surrounding areas and global markets. The potential of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor also lies in the second phase of construction focusing on industrialization, socio-economic development and high-quality sustainable development, which is in line with China’s high-quality vision of building the Belt and Road Initiative and Pakistan’s development based on exports, digital, environment, energy and fair empowerment. The framework is highly consistent.
The recently launched Pakistani multifunctional communication satellite project and the training project of thousands of Pakistani agricultural experts in China are vivid footnotes of the spirit of a community with a shared future. Soon after, the Pakistani astronauts will go to the Chinese space station, which shows that our friendship is heading towards the stars and the sea!
Since June 2024, Pakistan and China have carried out multiple high-level visits, promoting the construction of five major corridors: growth, people’s livelihood, innovation, green, and openness. In addition to intergovernmental cooperation, the business community of the two countries has also cooperated very closely. During his visit to China in June 2024, the Pakistan China Business Conference held in Shenzhen opened a new chapter in economic and trade exchanges between the two countries: more than a thousand corporate dockings were facilitated in a single day, and more than 30 memorandums were signed. Since then, six industry roadshows have been held in the fields of textiles, leather, fisheries, fruit and vegetables, medical devices and plastics, leading to a number of agreements. This year we aim to reach more cooperation. The second Pakistan — China Business Conference held this time is expected to promote 2,000 business docking sessions in nine key areas.
In order to attract Chinese enterprises and promote economic and trade cooperation between Pakistan and China, Pakistan has implemented a series of facilitation measures: simplifying the business, work and investment visa processes for Chinese citizens and shortening the approval time; and establishing special channels and lounges for Chinese merchants at the four major airports in Islamabad, Karachi, Lahore and Faisalabad; the recently unveiled Islamabad Business Convenience Center provides investors with one-stop services; and at the same time accelerates the approval of profit remittances Guarantee the payment of sums by electricity undertakings and effectively fulfil financial commitments.
The friendship between countries lies in the people’s blind date, and the people’s blind date lies in the connection of hearts. The people of Pakistan and China regard each other as “ iron buddies ” rather than strangers —— Chinese “ Pakistan iron ”, which belongs to Pakistan alone. This is the highest praise. The growing number of students studying in China, the Gandhara art exhibition touring China, and close cultural diplomacy are constantly bringing the two countries closer together. The new cooperation between entrepreneurs, artists and Internet celebrity bloggers in the two countries proves that the new younger generation not only inherits friendship, but also gives new connotations to Pakistan-China friendship.
Next year we will mark the 75th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between the two countries, and our partnership does not indulge in nostalgia, but strives for the future. China is moving rapidly towards the future through green development, artificial intelligence and digital finance, while Pakistan is advancing reform and stability with its younger workforce, positioning itself as a hub for regional connectivity and various opportunities. The intersection of these trajectories is not only natural, but also inevitable.
The current priority is to make cooperation more institutionalized over the long period of time: to build cooperation mechanisms across political levels, to open up new areas of cooperation and to ensure that rock-solid all-weather friendship between Pakistan and China is translated into prosperity sharing and sharing of interests.
From the Himalayas to the Arabian Sea, and now even more into the vastness of space, our friendship has always been an epic of trust and change. The future is full of hope and opportunity, and we should continue to work together to create brilliance.
(The author is the Prime Minister of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan)
