Shehbaz, Xi hail ties; CPEC Phase II advanced

Reporting snapshot · 25 May 2026. This report reflects statements and reporting published on 25 May 2026 and does not include later developments.

The Great Hall of the People, a large colonnaded building in Beijing, China. — CONTEXT IMAGE The Great Hall of the People in Beijing, the venue for the talks on 25 May 2026. The photograph shows the building and does not depict the meeting or any official. Photo: Philip Nalangan via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 4.0.

What happened

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif met Chinese President Xi Jinping at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing on Monday 25 May, as the two countries marked 75 years of diplomatic relations and agreed to advance the next phase of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor.

Xi called Sharif an “old friend” and said the two countries had “understood, trusted and supported each other” for decades, forging an “unbreakable traditional friendship”. According to Chinese state media, Xi said China was ready to work with Pakistan to “move faster to build an even closer China-Pakistan community with a shared future in the new era”, and he appreciated Pakistan’s “proactive role” in mediating peace in the Middle East.

Earlier in the day, Sharif held delegation-level talks with Premier Li Qiang, where he thanked Xi and the Chinese leadership for what he called their “great support” to Pakistan’s efforts to promote peace and secure a ceasefire in the Gulf. “The world is passing through a very critical moment. There is a crisis in the Gulf and Pakistan has played a very sincere role to mediate between the United States and Iran,” Sharif said.

Sharif was accompanied by Field Marshal Asim Munir, the chief of defence forces, who had returned from Tehran and travelled overnight to attend the Beijing engagements, and by Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar. Sharif said Munir had “played a very important role back and forth with the Iranian leadership and the American leadership”.

The two sides signed and exchanged agreements and memorandums covering trade, agriculture, climate cooperation, education, media, technology and institutional exchanges. According to the Prime Minister’s Office, these included protocols intended to expand Pakistani exports of dried fruit, nuts and maize to China. Pakistan and China also agreed to advance CPEC Phase II around five corridors: growth, livelihood, innovation, green, and open and inclusive regional development, and to accelerate priority projects such as the ML-1 railway upgrade and operations at Gwadar Port.

Why it matters

The visit, which began in Hangzhou on 23 May, was framed by both governments as a milestone in a relationship that has long been a cornerstone of Pakistan’s foreign policy. For Islamabad, Chinese backing adds weight to its efforts to broker an end to a war that has disrupted shipping through the Strait of Hormuz and pushed up energy prices. Sharif also pointed to cooperation in emerging sectors such as artificial intelligence and space, noting Pakistan’s inclusion in China’s space station programme.

What remains uncertain

The documents signed in Beijing did not resolve the US-Iran crisis, and no timeline was announced for a further round of negotiations. Pakistan’s government had said it hoped to host a second round of US-Iran talks “very soon”, but officials indicated that arrangements would be synchronised after the prime minister returned and that no date had been confirmed.