PM seeks wider trade and investment cooperation with China

ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif met Liu Haixing, minister of the International Department of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China, on Monday and called for expanded cooperation with Beijing in trade, investment, infrastructure and other key sectors, Business Recorder reported.

Liu called on the prime minister along with a delegation. Sharif described Pakistan-China relations as an "ironclad, time-tested and all-weather strategic cooperative partnership" and said the friendship was rooted in mutual trust, mutual respect and deep bonds between the peoples of the two countries.

The IDCPC is the Chinese Communist Party's body for relations with foreign political parties. Sharif underscored the importance of sustained political engagement and party-to-party exchanges in consolidating bilateral ties, and appreciated the department's role in strengthening institutional linkages and promoting cooperation between the political leadership of the two countries.

He said Pakistan remained committed to working closely with China to advance shared priorities, naming trade, investment, connectivity, infrastructure development, information technology and agricultural modernisation.

Liu conveyed the greetings of the Chinese leadership and reaffirmed Beijing's commitment to deepening its longstanding friendship with Pakistan. He appreciated the momentum in high-level engagements and party-to-party exchanges, saying those contacts would further strengthen ties between the two countries.

The two sides exchanged views on regional and international developments and reaffirmed their resolve to maintain close coordination at bilateral and multilateral forums, according to the report.

Sharif later hosted a banquet in honour of the visiting Chinese dignitary and his delegation. The account of the meeting did not say whether any agreement or memorandum of understanding was signed during the visit.