Pakistan and China have reaffirmed their commitment to expanding their strategic partnership, announcing the advancement of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) into its second phase (CPEC 2.0). This includes the development of five new economic corridors, significantly boosting bilateral cooperation.

The announcement came following a meeting between Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Chinese Premier Li Qiang in Beijing on September 4, 2025. Both leaders expressed satisfaction with the progress of existing relations and pledged to deepen collaboration in the next phase of CPEC. The meeting also saw the signing of several Memoranda of Understanding (MoUs) covering science and technology, information technology, media, and agriculture.

Prime Minister Sharif, currently on a six-day official visit to China, highlighted the significant contribution of CPEC – a flagship project of China’s Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) – to Pakistan’s socio-economic development over the past decade. He emphasized the need for the swift implementation of key projects like the Main Line-1 (ML-1) railway upgrade, the Karakoram Highway (KKH) realignment, and the operationalization of the Gwadar Port.

Sharif also expressed gratitude for China’s consistent support of Pakistan’s territorial integrity and socio-economic development. He further announced Pakistan’s intention to issue Panda Bonds in the Chinese capital market. The two leaders reiterated their commitment to strengthening the all-weather strategic cooperative partnership between their nations. The meeting concluded with a luncheon hosted by Premier Li Qiang. The discussions also covered various areas for increased business-to-business (B2B) cooperation and investment, with agriculture, mining, textiles, industry, and IT identified as priority sectors. Finally, Prime Minister Sharif reiterated Pakistan’s support for President Xi Jinping’s global initiatives, including the Global Governance, Development, Security, and Civilization Initiatives.