Dr. Syed Mehboob
Senior Business and Political Analyst
http//: www.thenewslark.com
Email:drmehboob.thenewslark@gmail.com
Global power is shifting from the West to the East, and China is playing a very important and leading role in shaping the new world order. There are five permanent members of the United Nations Security Council (UNSC). China is one of them. The other four visited China in the last six months. French President Emmanuel Macron visited China from December 3 to 5 2025. Then UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer visited China from January 28 to 30, 2026. Then, in the month of May, the world’s two most important powers gave very high importance to China. The President of the United States of America, Mr. Donald Trump, visited China from 13 to 15 May 2026, and soon after this visit, the President of the Russian Federation, Vladimir Putin, visited from May 19 to 20, 2026.
Prime Minister of Pakistan Mian Shehbaz Sharif visited China from May 23 to 26, 2026. During the visit, PM Pakistan Shehbaz Sharif was conferred an honorary professorship of the Chinese Academy of Agricultural Science (CAAS), in recognition of his efforts to promote Pakistan-China cooperation and agricultural modernization.
Addressing the scientists, officials, and students at the National Agricultural Library of the Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences ( CAAS), the Prime Minister described the institution as a “world-renowned center for agriculture and development,” have an excellent reputation not only in China but across the world. On the occasion, he said that Pakistan and China were entering a new phase of cooperation under CPEC 2.0, with agriculture emerging as a priority sector for economic transactions.
He further said, “Together, we can turn our iron-clad brotherhood into a great economic transformation and an agricultural revolution,” he remarked. During the ceremony, CAAS President Prof. Huang Sanwen briefed the Pakistani delegation on the academy’s research achievements and potential for cooperation. Pakistan’s National Food Security and Research Coordinator, Ahmad Umair, also presented Pakistan’s agricultural priorities and opportunities for bilateral collaboration.
According to the official agenda, the Prime Minister also visited the National Crop Genebank, where Chinese experts presented advances in seed preservation, crop research, and agricultural biotechnology.
In his speech, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif stressed the importance of revitalizing Pakistan’s agricultural research institutions and proposed enhanced institutional cooperation between CAAS and Pakistan Agricultural Research Council (PARC).
He suggested that CAAS take a leading role in supporting and managing collaborative agricultural research initiatives in Pakistan on a medium- to long-term basis.The Prime Minister also announced a major initiative to send one thousand fresh agricultural graduates from all four provinces of Pakistan to Chinese universities for advanced agricultural training and modern scientific education.The program would be conducted purely on merit and aimed at equipping Pakistani youth with cutting-edge agricultural knowledge and technologies.
Addressing Pakistani students studying in China, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif called them the “shining stars of Pakistan” and urged them to contribute to the modernization of Pakistan’s agriculture sector upon their return.
“Agriculture remains the backbone of Pakistan’s economy. If we want to holistically transform our economy, it has to begin with agriculture,” he stated.
China’s President Xi Jinping hailed Beijing’s “unbreakable” friendship with Pakistan on 25th May 2026 as he met Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif in Beijing, seeking to deepen the “all-weather” partnership between the two countries.
PM Shehbaz landed in China on 23rd May 2026, on a four-day official visit, reaching Beijing after making a stop in Hangzhou.Addressing bilateral talks at the Great Hall of the People, Xi said: “China is ready to work with Pakistan to move faster to build an even closer China-Pakistan community with a shared future in the new era, work for more results in our all-weather cooperation, contribute to regional peace and stability, and set an example for building a community with a shared future among neighboring countries.”
President Xi Jinping called PM Shehbaz Sharif an “old friend” and said the two countries had “understood, trusted and supported each other” over decades, forging an “unbreakable tradition of friendship”. “Despite international changes, China has always prioritized Pakistan relations in our neighborhood diplomacy,” the President said on the occasion.Chief of Defence Forces and Chief of the Army Staff Field Marshal Hafiz Syed Asim Munir, who concluded his visit to Iran on 23rd May 2026, was also present on the occasion.“I know that you have just returned from Iran and made positive efforts to mediate for peace. We appreciate the constructive role of Pakistan,” President Xi Jinping said.Following a rickety ceasefire achieved in the US-Israeli war on Iran in April, CDF Munir has been engaged in mediation efforts between Washington and Tehran. Weeks into Islamabad’s diplomatic efforts, the US has reported progress in negotiations with Iran.
President Xi Jinping said Pakistani students in China were “committed to be builders of cooperation, promoters of exchanges and upholders of friendship of China and Pakistan”. He added he was “truly encouraged to see that our friendship is being carried forward by the younger generation”.
“Our strategic mutual trust and practical cooperation have greatly contributed to our respective development,” the Chinese president said.PM Shehbaz, in turn, called China and Pakistan two “iron brother” countries with a relationship that is “next to none”. He also hailed President Xi Jinping as a “great friend of Pakistan and a great friend of peace-loving humanity”. Hailing 75 years of “glorious partnership” in diplomatic relations, the premier said, “The credit goes to our founding fathers who worked very hard to build this relationship over the last more than seven decades.”
The prime minister assured the Chinese president that Islamabad and Beijing would together “build this relations in times to come from strength to strength”. He noted that there was a plan for “year-long celebrations” to mark 75 years of diplomatic ties.
“Under your dynamic leadership, China is not only a world-class economic power; it is also a military power, meant for progress and peace in the world, promoting your own philosophy of multilateralism around the globe,” PM Pakistan Shehbaz said.Commending President Xi’s focus on prosperity through the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) and the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), he said, “This differentiates you as a towering figure around the globe.” The premier further said, “I draw a lot of strength from your leadership.”
He highlighted that a “lot of transformation and structural changes” had been brought in Pakistan, but there was still a long way to go.Later, a statement issued by the PMO described the meeting as the “most warm and cordial”, taking place against the backdrop of the 75th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between Pakistan and China.It said PM Shehbaz thanked President Xi Jinping for the “warm reception and reaffirmed that the Pakistan-China all-weather strategic cooperative partnership remains the cornerstone of Pakistan’s foreign policy”.
The statement further quoted him as saying that the “iron-clad friendship between the two countries has assumed even greater strategic importance in the evolving regional and global environment”.
PM Shehbaz reiterated Pakistan’s firm support for China on its core interests, including the One China Principle, and expressed appreciation for China’s consistent support to Pakistan’s sovereignty, territorial integrity, national development and economic stability.
After a “successful” visit to Hangzhou a day earlier, the prime minister commended President Xi’s “pivotal role” in the development of Zhejiang province, where he had served as the governor from 2002 to 2007. ( Continued)
