Zardari’s China visit further strengthened ties: Mandviwalla
ISLAMABAD: Senator Saleem Mandviwalla has said that President Asif Ali Zardari’s recent visit to China has further strengthened business-to-business ties, deepened strategic cooperation, expanded economic partnerships, and promoted public-private collaboration across multiple sectors.
Addressing a news conference along with President’s Spokesperson Murtaza Solangi at Aiwan-e-Sadr on Friday about President Asif Ali Zardari’s recent visit to China, Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) senior leader Senator Saleem Mandviwalla said that President Zardari witnessed the signing of six key agreements with various Chinese institutions in areas including transportation, waste management, energy, education, and agriculture.
Responding to a question, Mandviwalla clarified that the agreements and projects finalised during the visit were not confined to Sindh but intended to benefit the entire country.
In reply to another query, he said the Chinese leadership expressed satisfaction over Pakistan’s recent success in “Operation Bunyan um-Marsoos” against India, particularly acknowledging the effective deployment of Chinese-manufactured aircraft.
Mandviwalla said the President also witnessed the signing of three additional MoUs including initiatives to modernise Pakistan’s livestock sector, establish a state-of-the-art textile industrial park, and provide fire trucks and emergency equipment along with after-sales services. He added that another agreement was reached on waste and tyre recycling in Karachi. During the visit, President Zardari also experienced China’s high-speed rail network and expressed his desire to see similar technology introduced in Pakistan.
On the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), Mandviwalla confirmed that discussions were held to reinvigorate and expand the initiative.
He said that it was the President’s second official trip since assuming office. He said that, unlike the first visit where President Zardari primarily met with China’s top leadership, this time the focus was on mid-level engagement — holding extensive meetings with provincial governors and Communist Party officials to encourage investment and strengthen cooperation.
Senator Mandviwalla highlighted the historic nature of President Zardari’s visit to Kashgar, noting that he is the first Pakistani head of state to travel there at the invitation of the Chinese government. He also described the President’s tour of the Aviation Industry Corporation of China (AVIC) as a milestone, as Zardari became the first foreign head of state invited to the AVIC complex. He said that during the visit, the President was briefed on China’s latest aerospace capabilities, including the J-10 fighter jet, JF-17 Thunder co-production, J-20 stealth aircraft, UAV technologies, and multi-domain command-and-control systems. “This visit could pave the way for future agreements on the procurement of advanced defence technologies from China,” Mandviwalla added.
He said that among the key outcomes of the visit was the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) for the establishment of a Coal Gasification and Fertilizer Plant in Thar, the first of its kind to utilize Thar coal. This project is expected to address energy needs while supporting Pakistan’s agriculture sector, he said.
President’s spokesperson Murtaza Solangi said “the President visited Shanghai, Urumqi, Kashgar, and Sichuan, covering a broad spectrum of sectors such as agriculture, public health, biotechnology, food security, transportation, and education,”
Both Solangi and Mandviwalla emphasized that President Zardari was continuing the strong foundation of bilateral cooperation laid during his previous tenure (2008–2013), and the recent visit further cements Pakistan-China ties as comprehensive and strategic partners.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2025