Chinese envoy calls on PM Shehbaz to discuss new era of Sino-Pak ties

ISLAMABAD – Chinese Ambassador to Pakistan Ambassador Jiang Zaidong congratulated Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif in first meeting after the latter took top office for second time.

Prime Minister Sharif expressed gratitude to President Xi Jinping and Premier Li Qiang for their warm messages of greetings on his re-election.

The premier responded to warm welcome from Chinese leadership and praised their efforts to strengthen the enduring friendship between Islamabad and Beijing. He assured that the new government would work diligently to ensure the timely implementation of projects under the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC).

He highlighted Pakistan’s eagerness to progress to the next phase of CPEC, particularly the operationalization of Special Economic Zones (SEZs) to attract Chinese investment.

Sharif further sheds light on establishment of the Special Investment Facilitation Council (SIFC) during his previous term to encourage foreign investment in key sectors like agriculture, IT, minerals, and renewable energy, offering profitable opportunities for Chinese firms.

Chinese envoy reiterated Beijing’s commitment to deepening its friendship with Pakistan and extended an invitation for the PM to visit China, which was accepted with a commitment to arrange the visit through diplomatic channels.

Top officials of Sharif’s cabinet including Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar, Federal Minister for Planning, Development, and Special Initiatives Ahsan Iqbal, PM’s aide Tariq Fatemi, and the Foreign Secretary were also present at the meeting.