Yawar Abbas
ISLAMABAD, Sep 3 (APP): Analysts and international affairs experts described the meeting between Chinese President Xi Jinping and Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing as a highly significant development, underscoring the depth of strategic cooperation and the strengthening of bilateral ties at a critical juncture in regional and global politics.
According to the analysts, the leadership of both countries reaffirmed their unwavering commitment to further consolidating the iron-clad and all-weather strategic cooperative partnership through enhanced collaboration, reflecting the depth and uniqueness of their longstanding bilateral ties.
They said that President Xi noted that China and Pakistan share a resilient bond, a brotherly bond, and also a bond built on trust and common values—an ironclad friendship that was forged through historical twists and turns and has grown ever stronger over time.
They said that President Xi was of view that a robust China-Pakistan relationship is vital for regional peace and development. “The two sides should accelerate the building of an even closer China-Pakistan community with a shared future in the new era, so as to deliver greater benefits to the two peoples and set an example for building a community with a shared future among neighboring countries.”
Experts said that PM Shehbaz Sharif said under President Xi’s great leadership, China has achieved remarkable economic and social progress, lifted the Chinese people out of poverty, and improved the people’s well-being.
“The meeting between President Xi and Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif is important in multilateral and bilateral context,” said Muhammad Asif Noor, Founder of the Friends of Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) Forum and Advisor to Pakistan Research Center, Hebei Normal University, China and Co-Founder, Alliance of China-Pakistan Research Centers.
He said that right after the Pakistan-China Strategic Dialogue on August 20, 2025, in Pakistan, this meeting is huge step forward. It provided Pakistan an early opportunity to express support for President Xi’s vision of global governance, economic globalization, and world peace.
Muhammad Asif Noor, who is also Secretary General of the Pakistan-Shanghai Cooperation Organization Friendship Forum, said that since China seeks reforms in global governance models that protect the territorial sovereignty, non-interference in internal affairs, ensure respect for international law and promote consultation over confrontation, it rightly supports Pakistan’s national interests. “This will elevate Pakistan’s diplomatic standing in Beijing and other SCO capitals.”
He said that in the bilateral context, it is a breakthrough and a milestone before Pakistan and China launches second phase of CPEC. The subsequent Pakistan-China Free Trade Agreement and China Pakistan B2B Investment Conference are positive indicators of FDI flows to Pakistan.
He said, “This will give a fresh impetus to industrialization, job creation, investments and bilateral trade.”
He said that renewable energy sector, electric automobiles, agriculture cooperation, climate resilience and green development are potential areas of bilateral cooperation.
Chinese President Xi Jinping in a meeting with Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif pledged support for Pakistan’s home-grown capacity for development, expressing readiness to build China-Pakistan Economic Corridor-2 and upgrade the China-Pakistan Free Trade Agreement, and step up cooperation in industries, agriculture, and mining sectors, said Sayed Ahmad Nadeem Qadri, an analyst and researcher who writes on international affairs and Belt and Road Initiative.
He said that the bilateral ties and cooperation were discussed between PM Shehbaz and Chinese President Xi at the Great Hall of the People, wherein they agreed that the relationship between both countries was unique and unparalleled, which should be reflected in their enhanced cooperation.
“During meeting, PM Shehbaz Sharif appreciated China’s unflinching support to Pakistan’s territorial integrity, sovereignty, and socio-economic development, as well as the significance of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor as a flagship project of President Xi’s Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) to help both countries to build an even stronger Pakistan-China community with a shared future,” he said.
Sayed Ahmad Nadeem Qadri said that during meeting President Xi said that China would continue to assist Pakistan in all fields of economic growth and development, especially as the two countries were now ushering in the second phase of CPEC that would focus on Pakistan’s most important economic sectors.
Commenting on the meeting, Malik Ayub Sumbal, CGTN Commentator and Broadcaster in China, said that on the China-Pakistan relationship, President Xi Jinping emphasized that a robust China-Pakistan relationship is vital for regional peace and development amid accelerating global changes, aiming to build a closer community with a shared future that benefits both nations and serves as a model for the region.
He added that on economic and trade cooperation, President Xi Jinping expressed China’s commitment to enhancing the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor and the China-Pakistan Free Trade Agreement.
He said that Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif reaffirmed Pakistan’s unwavering support for the one-China principle and pledged to deepen bilateral friendship and cooperation across all sectors.
He said that PM Shehbaz Sharif praised President Xi’s Global Governance Initiative as a significant step toward global peace and stability, committing Pakistan to actively support and implement it.
Senior Journalist and International Affairs Analyst, Mateen Haider said, “It was an extraordinary meeting, as Pakistan and China remain in close contact at the highest level. A number of important issues concerning Pakistan-China cooperation, including CPEC-2, were discussed.”
He said that the most significant aspect of this high-level interaction was the focus on bilateral cooperation at a time of rapidly evolving geopolitical developments. “It was an excellent meeting, and such engagements should continue, especially as the coming months are expected to bring important regional and international developments,” Mateen added.
He said that as strategic partners, Pakistan and China must remain aligned. “Recently, we have also seen the Chinese Foreign Minister visit Pakistan, and this latest high-level meeting was timely and essential for discussing all matters, particularly those aimed at further strengthening relations between the two countries.”