By Staff Reporter
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s prime minister, army chief and foreign minister each met a senior Chinese Communist Party official on Monday, pledging to deepen ties that both countries describe as an “all-weather strategic cooperative partnership”.
Liu Haixing, minister of the International Department of the Communist Party of China’s Central Committee, arrived in Islamabad on Sunday night for a three-day visit. The department runs the party’s external relations.
Meeting Liu and his delegation, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif said the two countries enjoyed an “ironclad, time-tested and all-weather strategic cooperative partnership”, according to the prime minister’s office.
“Both sides exchanged views on regional and international developments and reaffirmed their commitment to maintaining close coordination and cooperation at bilateral and multilateral forums,” its statement said. It did not say which regional issues were raised.
Sharif said the friendship was anchored in mutual trust, mutual respect and “deep-rooted bonds” between the two peoples. He praised the “shared focus on advancing cooperation in trade, investment, connectivity, infrastructure development, IT and agriculture modernisation”.
The prime minister also stressed the importance of sustained political engagement and party-to-party exchanges, and thanked the international department for its part in building institutional links between the two countries’ political leaderships.
Liu, for his part, welcomed “the ongoing momentum in high-level and party-to-party exchanges”, the statement said. He conveyed greetings from the Chinese leadership and reaffirmed Beijing’s commitment to deepening its friendship with Pakistan. Mr Sharif later hosted a banquet for the delegation.
Liu also called on Field Marshal Asim Munir, the Chief of Defence Forces and army chief, at General Headquarters in Rawalpindi.
The military’s media wing, Inter-Services Public Relations, said the two men discussed “evolving regional and international security dynamics and bilateral relations”. Both sides expressed their “shared resolve to further strengthen” the partnership, it said.
Field Marshal Munir described the bond between the countries as “historic and time-tested” and stressed the need for sustained high-level engagement, stronger institutional links and wider cooperation. Mr Liu, according to the statement, praised Pakistan’s contribution to regional peace and stability and voiced confidence in advancing the partnership.
In a separate meeting in Islamabad, Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar received Liu. The Foreign Office said Mr Liu passed on greetings from Chinese foreign minister Wang Yi, which Mr Dar “warmly reciprocated”. Dar sent “warm greetings” to Chinese president Xi Jinping on behalf of Pakistan’s leadership.
Dar also restated Islamabad’s commitment to strengthening the partnership. “The two sides discussed ways to enhance cultural ties and people-to-people exchanges,” the Foreign Office said, adding that both men resolved to keep up close coordination and carry forward the “positive momentum” in relations.
The Foreign Office had earlier described the visit as part of “ongoing high-level exchanges” between the two countries.
The talks follow a run of agreements in recent days. On Thursday, customs authorities from both countries signed an agreement, at an online ceremony hosted by Pakistan’s Federal Board of Revenue, to bring a “green channel” into operation at the Sost-Khunjerab border for agricultural and allied products. Eligible consignments will get priority processing, while risk-based customs checks stay in place, according to reports.
The Khunjerab Pass links Gilgit-Baltistan with China’s Xinjiang region. At 15,500ft above sea level, it is the highest paved international border crossing in the world. Under a long-standing border arrangement it is normally open to trade and travel only between April and November, with heavy winter snow disrupting traffic.
Last week the two countries also launched the China-Pakistan Information Corridor in Islamabad, built on four pillars: media, business and enterprises, think tanks, and culture and tourism. Pakistani officials said it was intended to strengthen media cooperation and counter misinformation. The launch formed part of events marking 75 years of diplomatic relations.
Pakistan and China have built ties over decades across trade, energy, defence, infrastructure and space. The China-Pakistan Economic Corridor, a flagship infrastructure programme, is the best-known symbol of that relationship.
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