Pakistan's PM arrives for China visit overshadowed by Iran war

Pakistan's Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif arrived in China on Saturday, Chinese state media said, kicking off a four-day trip overshadowed by the Iran war.

The Chinese foreign ministry has yet to confirm whether the pair will discuss the conflict in the Middle East, which Islamabad and Beijing have both sought to mediate in.

US President Donald Trump has described the stop-start negotiations with Iran as teetering on the "borderline" between renewed attacks and a deal to end the war, which began with US-Israeli strikes on Iran in February and has engulfed the Middle East and roiled the global economy.

Upon his arrival at Hangzhou Xiaoshan International Airport, Shahbaz was welcomed by Deputy Governor of Zhejiang Xu Wenguang, Chinese Ambassador to Pakistan Jiang Zaidong, and Pakistan's Ambassador to China Khalil Hashmi.

Shahbaz Sharif "arrived in Hangzhou, Zhejiang province, on Saturday to begin a four-day official visit to China," state news agency Xinhua said, without elaborating.

In a statement issued shortly after his arrival, the premier expressed gratitude to the provincial leadership for the reception accorded to the Pakistani delegation.

“I have arrived in the beautiful and dynamic city of Hangzhou, as part of my official visit to China,” Shahbaz said in a statement on X.

“I am deeply grateful to the leadership of Zhejiang Province for the warm welcome extended to me and my delegation,” he added.

The prime minister said Pakistan was keen to expand cooperation with Zhejiang Province in a range of sectors, particularly those linked to technology and economic development.

“We look forward to strengthening practical cooperation with Zhejiang Province across diverse fields, including the digital economy, e-commerce, information technology, telecommunications, agriculture, renewable energy, advanced manufacturing, and skills development,” he said.

Referring to the longstanding ties between Islamabad and Beijing, the premier said the visit coincided with a significant milestone in bilateral relations.

“As Pakistan and China commemorate 75 years of diplomatic relations, I look forward to engaging with President Xi Jinping and the Chinese leadership, while reaffirming our shared commitment to further strengthening the enduring bond of friendship between our two brotherly nations,” he said.

Earlier in the week, Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Guo Jiakun said only that "issues of common concern" would be discussed.

Guo has said that China would work with Pakistan to "make positive contributions to the early restoration of peace and stability in the Middle East."

"China supports Pakistan in playing a fair and balanced mediating role in promoting peace and ending the war," he said.

Pakistan has emerged as a central mediator between the United States and Iran, hosting historic face-to-face talks last month that failed to yield a lasting agreement.

Agencies