China and Pakistan

The strategic cooperative partnership between the People's Republic of China and the Islamic Republic of Pakistan was further enhanced, and bilateral exchanges and cooperation in various fields deepened.

The two countries maintained frequent high-level exchange of visits and deepened political mutual trust. In February 2022, Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan ame to China to attend the opening ceremony of the Olympic Winter Games Beijing 2022. In March, Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan met with State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi at the Prime Minister's Office in Islamabad. In May, Premier Li Keqiang had a phone conversation with Pakistani Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif at the latter's request. In November, President Xi Jinping met with Pakistani Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif at Forumlar Majmuasi Complex in Samarkand. In January 2023, Premier Li Keqiang of the State Council had a phone call at request with Pakistani Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif. In April, Premier Li Qiang of the State Council spoke with Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on the phone. In June, Premier Li Qiang of the State Council met with Pakistani Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif in Paris.

Pragmatic cooperation between the two countries saw major breakthroughs, and cooperation was deepened in energy, finance, infrastructure and other key areas. During Premier Li Keqiang's visit to Pakistan, the two sides signed the Memorandum of Understanding on Cooperation for the Long-term Plan on China-Pakistan Economic Corridor Between the Government of the People's Republic of China and the Government of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan. In July, during Prime Minister Sharif's visit to China, the two sides signed the Memorandum of Understanding on the Cooperation of Developing "China-Pakistan Economic Corridor" Long-term Plan and Action Between National Development and Reform Commission of the People's Republic of China and Ministry of Planning and Development of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan. The economic corridor is mainly about cooperation in three areas, namely, transport, energy and industrial parks. It builds a new platform for the growth of China-Pakistan strategic cooperative partnership in the next five to ten years. In August, Zhang Xiaoqiang, Vice Minister of the National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC), led a Chinese delegation to the inaugural meeting of the Joint Cooperation Committee on the Longterm Plan for the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor in Islamabad, which marked a new phase of steady implementation and solid progress of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor.

Legislature, cultural, people-to-people and local exchanges were active. NPC Vice Chairwoman Shen Yueyue and CPPCC Vice Chairman Wang Zhengwei visited Pakistan. A joint Afghanistan-Pakistan parliamentarian delegation and Chief Minister of Punjab Shahbaz Sharif visited China.

Military-to-military exchanges were carried out smoothly. In August, General Khalid Shameem Wynne, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee of Pakistan, visited China. He met with Vice Premier Zhang Gaoli and co-chaired the 10th China-Pakistan Defense and Security Consultation with General Fang Fenghui, Chief of General Staff of the Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA). In November, General Ashfaq Parvez Kayani, Chief of Army Staff of Pakistan, visited China. He had separate meetings with General Fan Changlong, Vice Chairman of the Central Military Commission, and Guo Shengkun, State Councilor and Minister of Public Security.

Cooperation in regional and international affairs was further strengthened. Pakistan continued to support China's position on Taiwan, Tibet and other issues. The two countries maintained sound cooperation on Afghanistan-related issues. The second round of the China-Russia-Pakistan trilateral dialogue on Afghanistan was held in Islamabad in November, and the third round of China-Afghanistan-Pakistan trilateral dialogue was held in Kabul in December.