CPEC 2.0: PM eyes broader cooperation with China
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif urged expanded CPEC 2.0 cooperation with China, focusing on agriculture, IT, industry, and mining, and stressed swift implementation of recent agreements.
- Expanded CPEC 2.0 cooperation in agriculture, IT, and mining.
- Swift implementation of recent agreements and MoUs with China.
- Fast-tracking the Karakoram Highway realignment project.
ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Wednesday called for expanded cooperation with China under the next phase of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC 2.0), with particular emphasis on agriculture, information technology, industrial development, special economic zones and the mining sector.
The remarks came during a meeting with China’s Ambassador to Pakistan, Jiang Zaidong, who called on the prime minister, according to a statement issued by the Prime Minister’s Office.
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Prime Minister Sharif conveyed his “warm” regards and best wishes to President Xi Jinping and Premier Li Qiang, while recalling what he described as “productive and substantive” meetings with Chinese leadership during his recent visit to China.
Reaffirming what he termed Pakistan’s commitment to further strengthening the “all-weather strategic cooperative partnership” between the two countries, he stressed the need for swift follow-up on decisions reached during his recent trip, including agreements and memoranda of understanding (MoUs) signed with Chinese companies at a business-to-business investment conference held in Hangzhou last month.
He also underlined the importance of ensuring timely implementation of MoUsbetween Pakistani and Chinese firms, saying both sides now needed to focus on delivering results on commitments already made at leadership level.
PM Shehbaz expressed appreciation for the Chinese ambassador’s role in facilitating his recent visit, and said sustained coordination would be essential to translate bilateral agreements into tangible projects and investment flows.
According to an official statement, discussions also covered the fast-tracking of the Karakoram Highway (KKH) realignment project, as well as broader cooperation in security, counter-terrorism and defence.
Economic and financial support, along with regional and international developments, were also reviewed.
Ambassador Zaidong thanked the prime minister for the meeting and extended greetings for Eidul Adha, which was celebrated last week, while also congratulating him on the success of his visit to China from May 23 to 26. He reiterated China’s commitment to what both sides frequently describe as an “iron-clad” friendship and said Beijing remained willing to expand cooperation across all sectors.
The meeting was attended by Adviser to the Prime Minister Dr Syed Tauqir Shah and Foreign Secretary Amna Baloch.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2026
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