ISLAMABAD: China has praised Pakistan’s efforts to facilitate a temporary ceasefire between the United States and Iran and host talks between American and Iranian officials aimed at finding a lasting resolution to their ongoing conflict, according to a joint statement released on Tuesday.
The endorsement came during Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s four-day visit to China, which began on May 23, as Pakistan has stepped up diplomatic engagement aimed at easing tensions between Washington and Tehran after joint US-Israeli strikes on Iran in February triggered months of confrontation across the Middle East.
Pakistan’s army chief Asim Munir and Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi have both held talks in Tehran this month as part of mediation efforts that Pakistani officials say have made progress toward a “final understanding” between Tehran and Washington.
“China appreciated Pakistan’s efforts in facilitating the temporary ceasefire between the US and Iran and holding the Islamabad Talks,” said the joint statement released at the end of Sharif’s visit, referring to Pakistan-hosted negotiations between US and Iranian officials in April.
The statement said both countries expressed readiness to “jointly make positive contributions for the early restoration of peace and stability” in the Middle East and reiterated support for proposals previously put forward by President Xi Jinping on regional peace and stability.
In the joint statement, the two countries also reaffirmed support for closer defense and security cooperation, including counterterrorism coordination and protection of Chinese personnel and projects in Pakistan.
The two sides agreed to establish what the statement described as a “China-Pakistan Security Partnership” and expand military-to-military cooperation. Pakistan pledged to strengthen security measures for Chinese workers, projects and institutions operating in the country.
China has repeatedly pressed Pakistan to improve security for Chinese nationals working on Belt and Road projects after a series of militant attacks, including suicide bombings targeting Chinese engineers and workers in Pakistan’s northwest and southern provinces.
CPEC 2.0
China and Pakistan are longtime strategic allies, with Beijing investing tens of billions of dollars in infrastructure, energy and transport projects in Pakistan under the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor, or CPEC, part of President Xi Jinping’s Belt and Road Initiative. Pakistani officials have increasingly described the newer phase of the corridor, often referred to as CPEC 2.0, as shifting focus from large-scale infrastructure toward industrial cooperation, mining, agriculture and technology.
The joint statement said both countries agreed to advance the “high-quality development” of CPEC’s upgraded phase, including industrial parks, mining cooperation, oil and gas exploration, agricultural investment and development of Gwadar port as a regional connectivity hub.
The two countries also agreed to advance work on the realignment of the Karakoram Highway, a key overland trade route linking western China to northern Pakistan, strengthen cross-border connectivity through the Khunjerab Pass in the Himalayas and welcome third-party participation in CPEC projects.
Pakistan also reaffirmed support for Beijing on issues including Taiwan, Xinjiang, Hong Kong and the South China Sea, reflecting Islamabad’s longstanding backing for China on issues Beijing considers core national interests. China, in turn, reiterated support for Pakistan’s sovereignty, security and territorial integrity, according to the statement.
