He also urged the two sides to advance both major signature projects and “small and beautiful” livelihood programs and deepen all-round cooperation in areas such as agriculture, industry, artificial intelligence, and talent cultivation.
China and Pakistan see bilateral cooperation deepening across all sectors, with rich fruits in trade and economic ties. China has maintained its position as Pakistan’s largest trading partner for 11 consecutive years. It is Pakistan’s largest source of imports and its second-largest export destination, and ranks as the country’s largest source of foreign direct investment, according to the Chinese Ministry of Commerce.
As a flagship project under the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) has been upgraded to version 2.0, focusing on five key pillars: growth, livelihood enhancement, innovation, green development, and openness. The corridor has injected over $25.9 billion in total investment into Pakistan’s economy and created 260,000 jobs.
Sharif said Pakistan will deepen BRI cooperation with China and advance CPEC development so that the Pakistan-China relationship will continue to grow and benefit both peoples.
He said the ironclad friendship, which was forged personally by the older generation of leaders, is “growing ever stronger and next to none.”
A multipolar world
Far beyond its bilateral scope, China-Pakistan cooperation is widely seen as injecting a dose of stability into an increasingly turbulent global and regional landscape.
During Monday’s talks, Xi said China appreciates Pakistan for demonstrating “a proactive spirit” and for mediating to restore peace in the Middle East, while Sharif said Pakistan appreciates China for supporting its mediation in negotiations between the United States and Iran.
Last month, Xi put forward a four-point proposal to promote peace and stability in the Middle East, advocating a commitment to the principles of peaceful coexistence, national sovereignty, and the international rule of law, as well as a balanced approach to development and security.
