ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif arrived in Tianjin, China, for a official visit to attend a regional summit and meet President Xi Jinping and Premier Li Qiang, with political, economic and investment ties topping the agenda, his office said on Saturday.
Sharif’s visit, from Aug. 30 to Sept. 4, underscores the strong, multifaceted partnership between the two countries, spanning defense, diplomacy and economic cooperation.
China has long been Pakistan’s largest investor and its closest strategic ally, anchored by the multibillion-dollar China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC). Both sides are working to advance into “CPEC 2.0,” focused on industrialization, agriculture, energy and connectivity.
“During his visit, the PM will attend the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) Heads of State Summit in Tianjin from Aug. 31 to Sept. 1, as well as the 80th anniversary commemorations of the victory of the Chinese People’s War of Resistance in Beijing, along with other official engagements,” his office said in a statement.
Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif (center) arrives at Tianjin Binhai International Airport in Tianjin, China, on August 30, 2025, for his six-day visit to attend a SCO summit and hold bilaterial meetings. (Government of Pakistan)
China has long sought to present the SCO as a counterweight to Western-led power blocs and has pushed for greater collaboration between its member states.
More than 20 foreign leaders including Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Russian President Vladimir Putin will attend the regional security bloc’s largest meeting since it was founded, China’s Assistant Foreign Minister Liu Bin said a day earlier.
Top politicians from member states or guest countries such as Belarus, Iran, Kazakhstan, Türkiye and Vietnam are also among those taking part.
Pakistan’s foreign office earlier said Sharif’s meetings with President Xi and Premier Li will focus on multifaceted dimensions of Pakistan-China bilateral cooperation.
These engagements are part of leadership-level exchanges that both governments describe as vital to maintaining their “all-weather strategic cooperative partnership.”
Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif (center) arrives at Tianjin Binhai International Airport in Tianjin, China, on August 30, 2025, for his six-day visit to attend a SCO summit and hold bilaterial meetings. (Government of Pakistan)
Sharif will also chair the second Pakistan-China B2B Investment Conference in Beijing on Sept. 4 to boost trade and investment ties, the PM office added.
According to the foreign office, the visit will reaffirm support on core interests, strengthen bilateral cooperation and ensure regular consultations on regional and global developments.
Sharif also visited China in June 2024, where he held talks with Xi and Li in Beijing, toured cultural and educational sites in Xi’an, and announced that 1,000 Pakistani students would receive agricultural training in China.
Last year’s trip included meetings with leading Chinese companies in the energy and technology sectors, as the government sought to attract foreign investors to explore manufacturing and other opportunities in Pakistan.
