Pakistan, China ties to deepen on strategic cooperation, trade

November 10, 2026 (MLN): Pakistan and China ties are set to be deepened through stronger strategic cooperation, higher bilateral trade, more Chinese investment and closer security collaboration.

Pakistan’s ambassador to China, Syed Ali Asad Gilani, has made these his key priorities during his tenure in Beijing, he said in an interview with the Associated Press of Pakistan (APP).

He described the relationship as exceptionally important, deeply rooted and diversified, and said he is committed to further consolidating and broadening the partnership.

His priorities include political understanding, military-to-military cooperation, strategic coordination and economic engagement, while exploring new avenues of cooperation across sectors.

On the economy, he observed that bilateral trade remains below its potential and stressed the need to promote Chinese investment in Pakistan.

He said Pakistan should focus on attracting investment in manufacturing and processing industries, so it can add value to its raw materials and raise exports to China and international markets.

Calling this a win-win equation, he said Pakistan’s strategic location offers significant opportunities for integration into China’s value chains and logistics networks.

The ambassador also underscored security cooperation, saying both countries are determined to combat terrorism and ensure the safety of their citizens.

He highlighted the importance of stronger connectivity between China’s Xinjiang region and Pakistan’s northern areas through the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC). Better cross-border connectivity and easier vehicle movement through the Khunjerab Pass, he said, would promote trade, economic activity and people-to-people exchanges despite challenging climatic conditions.

On education and technology, Ali Asad Gilani said Pakistan can benefit significantly from China’s achievements in science, technology and innovation. He called for stronger educational linkages, more scholarship opportunities and an education system oriented towards high-tech, innovation-driven and value-added sectors.

Describing China as an important partner in Pakistan’s development, he said Pakistan has a valuable opportunity to learn from its experience and use bilateral cooperation to upgrade its economic and technological capabilities.

He further stressed the need for closer people-to-people contacts and mutual understanding between the two societies. He said he intends to engage with Chinese communities through available platforms, and called for greater efforts to improve awareness about Pakistan in China and about China in Pakistan.

Turning to the next phase of CPEC, he said the move from CPEC 1.0 to CPEC 2.0 marks a shift from infrastructure development to high-quality, value-added economic growth.

While the first phase focused mainly on building infrastructure, the next phase will concentrate on using that infrastructure to raise productivity and speed up economic transformation. He identified agriculture, industrialization, science and technology, mining, artificial intelligence (AI) and information technology (IT) as key areas under CPEC 2.0.

Ali Asad Gilani said Pakistan aims to move from an economy dependent on primary commodities to a more diversified, industrialized and value-added one, with China playing an important role in the transition.

He said promoting high-value growth, strengthening industrial capacity and drawing on Chinese technological expertise will remain central to his efforts.

He expressed confidence that the two countries can further strengthen their all-weather strategic cooperative partnership by expanding collaboration in traditional areas while exploring emerging opportunities in technology, innovation, trade and investment.

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