ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has held a series of meetings with leading Chinese companies in Beijing, his office said on Tuesday, pitching Pakistan as a destination for investment in agriculture, infrastructure, manufacturing and mineral development as Islamabad seeks to expand economic cooperation with China beyond traditional energy and transport projects.
The meetings took place during Sharif’s three-day visit to China as Pakistan attempts to reposition economic ties with Beijing toward industrial cooperation, technology transfer, export-oriented investment and sector-specific partnerships under what officials describe as the next phase of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC).
China has invested more than $65 billion in Pakistan under CPEC since 2015, financing roads, ports, power plants and transport infrastructure as part of Beijing’s Belt and Road Initiative. Pakistani officials now say the focus is shifting toward industrialization, agriculture modernization, mining, logistics and manufacturing.
“Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif held a series of high-level meetings with leading Chinese enterprises, reaffirming Pakistan’s commitment to deepening economic, industrial, and infrastructure cooperation under the framework of CPEC Phase II,” the Prime Minister’s Office said in a statement.
During meetings with agricultural and industrial firms, Sharif emphasized Pakistan’s efforts to modernize farming, reduce food losses and attract manufacturing investment through special economic zones established under CPEC.
In talks with Chinese agricultural company FAMSUN, Sharif praised the firm’s work in Pakistan’s grain storage and feed production sectors and invited it to establish manufacturing and technology-transfer facilities in Pakistan.
The PMO said Sharif highlighted Pakistan’s push to reduce post-harvest losses, a major challenge for the country’s agriculture sector where inadequate storage and transport infrastructure often leads to significant food waste.
Sharif also met executives of Shandong Xinxu Group Corporation, which has investments linked to maritime infrastructure, battery manufacturing, mineral processing and industrial development projects in Pakistan.
The prime minister welcomed the company’s role in projects linked to Gwadar port, Port Qasim and northern Pakistan’s mineral sector and encouraged faster implementation of projects under CPEC Phase II, according to the statement.
In separate meetings with the China Communications Construction Corporation (CCCC) and China Road and Bridge Corporation (CRBC), Sharif discussed major infrastructure initiatives including the planned upgrade of Pakistan Railways’ Main Line-1 project and realignment work on the Karakoram Highway, one of the flagship transport corridors linking Pakistan and China.
The PMO said the Chinese companies reaffirmed confidence in Pakistan’s economic potential and expressed interest in expanding investments across agriculture, logistics, manufacturing, infrastructure and technology sectors, the PMO statement added.
Separately, Pakistan’s Commerce Minister Jam Kamal Khan held meetings with Chinese firms focused on expanding trade and investment cooperation beyond large infrastructure projects traditionally associated with CPEC.
According to Pakistan’s commerce ministry, Khan discussed long-term partnerships in mining, agriculture, food exports, e-commerce and industrial cooperation with Chinese companies during the visit.
The discussions focused on increasing Pakistani exports of copper, lead-zinc, iron ore, guar gum and sugar while also exploring access for Pakistani beef and poultry products to the Chinese market.
One Chinese company expressed interest in establishing “long-term procurement arrangements,” the ministry said, which could help Pakistan expand mineral and commodity exports to China.
Other discussions focused on improving Pakistan’s cotton seed quality using Chinese agricultural technology, expanding organic farming cooperation and strengthening digital trade and e-commerce connectivity.
Pakistan is also seeking Chinese investment in mining exploration and financing as Islamabad pushes to unlock vast untapped mineral reserves, particularly in Balochistan province, home to the multibillion-dollar Reko Diq copper and gold project.
