Pakistan PM Shehbaz Sharif Arrives in Hangzhou, China
Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif arrived in Hangzhou, Zhejiang Province, on May 23, 2026, beginning a four-day official visit to China that coincides with the 75th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between the two countries. The visit, running from May 23 to 26, carries a broad agenda encompassing the next phase of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor, trade and investment, information technology cooperation, agricultural modernization, and regional security issues including the US-Iran conflict.
A Milestone Anniversary
The visit marks the 75th anniversary of China-Pakistan diplomatic relations, established in 1951. Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Guo Jiakun described the trip as “an important high-level exchange between the two countries on this significant occasion,” according to Xinhua News. Guo emphasized that “China and Pakistan are good friends and all-weather strategic cooperative partners,” noting that bilateral ties have “stood all tests and remained rock-solid” over the past 75 years.
Two-Phase Visit Structure
The visit is structured in two phases. On May 23-24, the prime minister is participating in a B2B investment conference in Hangzhou, one of China’s leading economic and technological hubs. The delegation includes Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar, Planning Minister Ahsan Iqbal, IT Minister Shaza Fatima, Information Minister Attaullah Tarar, and Special Assistant Tariq Fatemi. The second phase, from May 24-26, will take the delegation to Beijing for high-level meetings with President Xi Jinping and Premier Li Qiang.
CPEC 2.0 and Economic Cooperation
At the center of bilateral economic ties remains the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor, launched in 2013 under China’s Belt and Road Initiative. Chinese Ambassador Jiang Zaidong recently noted that CPEC has attracted over $25.9 billion in direct investment, created more than 260,000 jobs, and added over 8,000 megawatts of electricity to Pakistan’s national grid, as reported by Pakistan Today.
Both countries are now focused on advancing “CPEC 2.0” — the next phase of the corridor project — which aims to shift cooperation from infrastructure construction toward industrialization, innovation, and sustainable economic growth. Planning Minister Ahsan Iqbal has said that CPEC is “entering the second phase, marking a strategic shift from infrastructure development to industrialization, innovation and inclusive growth.”
“Earthquakes, floods, peace and difficult times — China has always supported Pakistan in an unwavering fashion,” Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif said at a ceremony in Islamabad marking the anniversary, according to Pakistan Today.
Iran-US Mediation on the Agenda
A significant dimension of the visit is the discussion of regional security, particularly the US-Iran conflict. Pakistan has been positioning itself as a mediator between Tehran and Washington, and Foreign Office Spokesperson Tahir Andrabi confirmed that the US-Iran war would be raised during the visit. A five-point peace principle was agreed upon during Deputy Prime Minister Dar’s visit to China in April.
According to the South China Morning Post, one Chinese analyst said Beijing was willing to offer its support for the peace efforts but would be reluctant to be drawn directly into efforts to solve the Middle East conflict. However, some Pakistani observers have expressed expectations that China will take a more active role and use its global influence to secure tangible progress.
Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Guo Jiakun addressed the issue directly, stating: “On the Iranian issue, we have made our position clear on many occasions. China supports Pakistan’s efforts to play an impartial and balanced mediating role in promoting peace and ending hostilities,” as reported by the Global Times.
Broader Geopolitical Context
The visit comes amid a period of intense diplomatic activity in Beijing, following recent visits by US President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin, positioning China as a central hub for global diplomacy. It also follows Pakistani President Asif Ali Zardari’s visit to Hunan and Hainan provinces earlier in May.
What to Watch For
Observers will be watching for specific agreements or memoranda of understanding to emerge from the Beijing leg of the visit, particularly regarding CPEC 2.0 projects in manufacturing, agriculture, and mining. The potential for new announcements on the Karakoram Highway expansion or Gwadar Port development also remains a key focus. On the geopolitical front, the extent to which China is willing to back Pakistan’s Iran mediation efforts — and whether this could reshape Middle East diplomacy — will be closely scrutinized in the coming days.
As Guo Jiakun summarized, China expects both sides to “take this visit as an opportunity to carry forward traditional friendship, deepen all-round cooperation and jointly write a new chapter in fostering an even closer China-Pakistan community with a shared future in the new era.”