BEIJING: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Monday urged Pakistan and China to “really be together” in efforts to restore peace in the Middle East amid the ongoing US-Israel-Iran conflict, saying the crisis was affecting not only the region’s economy but also the global community.
He made the remarks during delegation-level talks with Chinese Premier Li Qiang at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing. PM Shehbaz arrived in China on Saturday on a four-day official visit and reached Beijing on Sunday after an earlier stop in Hangzhou.
Addressing the meeting, the premier said the world was passing through a “very critical moment” and stressed the need for close coordination between Islamabad and Beijing to help ensure global peace and stability.
“I think we have to really be together, so that the world at large is at peace and business as usual starts again, because this crisis has hit not only the economy in the region but the global community,” he said.
Chief of Defence Forces and Chief of Army Staff Field Marshal Asim Munir, who concluded his visit to Iran on Saturday, also attended the meeting.
Referring to tensions in the Gulf, PM Shehbaz said Pakistan had played a sincere mediatory role between the United States and Iran. He noted that Field Marshal Munir had just returned from Tehran and travelled overnight to join the talks in Beijing.
The premier said the army chief had played an important role in engagements with both the Iranian and American leadership, while Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar also remained in contact with regional counterparts.
“We hope and pray to Allah Almighty that peace will be restored forever, and lots of ground has already been covered. Things are moving in the right direction,” PM Shehbaz said.
He also thanked Chinese President Xi Jinping and the Chinese leadership for their support in promoting peace and achieving a ceasefire, adding that Pakistan fully endorsed President Xi’s four-point peace agenda.
At the beginning of his remarks, PM Shehbaz thanked the Chinese government for the warm welcome extended to him and said it was always a pleasure to visit China, where rapid development and progress continued to impress him during every trip.
The prime minister also expressed condolences over the deadly gas explosion at a coal mine in China’s Shanxi province, where at least 82 people lost their lives.
He described the visit as taking place at a “critical moment of history” as Pakistan and China celebrate 75 years of diplomatic relations established by the founding leadership of both countries.
“They laid a strong foundation and strong edifice between our two countries and here we are, trying to take that legacy forward,” he added.
Premier Li Qiang also addressed the gathering during the talks.
Earlier, PM Shehbaz was presented with a guard of honour upon his arrival at the Great Hall of the People. The two leaders shook hands and introduced their delegations to one another before the national anthems of Pakistan and China were played.
During his stay in Beijing, PM Shehbaz is scheduled to meet Chinese President Xi Jinping and Premier Li Qiang. He will also attend a reception organised by the Chinese People’s Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries to mark the 75th anniversary of diplomatic ties between Pakistan and China.
The Pakistani delegation accompanying the prime minister includes Deputy PM Ishaq Dar, Planning Minister Ahsan Iqbal, Information Minister Attaullah Tarar, IT Minister Shaza Fatima Khawaja and other senior officials.
Since the start of his visit, PM Shehbaz has focused on enhancing bilateral cooperation in multiple sectors, particularly business, investment and technology.
His visit began in Hangzhou, where Pakistan and China signed several memorandums of understanding and agreements worth billions of dollars. The premier also met senior executives of major Chinese firms, including Alibaba Group.
On Sunday, PM Shehbaz highlighted four major areas of future cooperation while addressing a business forum, reaffirming Islamabad’s commitment to strengthening long-term strategic and economic ties with Beijing.