The Pulse | Diplomacy | South Asia

Why the Pakistan-China Partnership Remains Resilient

In Beijing, Islamabad endorsed “Xi’s vision” and global initiatives. China endorsed Pakistan’s position on the Kashmir dispute.

Chinese President Xi Jinping and Pakistani Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif shake hands at a meeting during the latter’s visit to Beijing, May 25, 2025.

The recent visit of the Pakistani leadership to Beijing has injected new energy and robustness into the Sino-Pakistani bilateral partnership.

During the visit, Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir held extensive meetings with the Chinese leadership, including Chinese President Xi Jinping, Premier Li Qiang and Foreign Minister Wang Yi. Wang also held separate discussions with Field Marshal Munir.

These interactions, ranging from formal sessions to candid exchanges, highlight a partnership that is adapting to the changing global order. The interactions suggest a deliberate alignment of core interests amid complex regional dynamics, and underscore how defense and diplomacy remain closely intertwined when it comes to Pakistan and China’s ties. From Pakistan’s perspective, the Sharif-Munir visit to Beijing has demonstrated to China a coordinated civil-military engagement and clear institutional synergy in shaping Pakistan’s regional policy, as the country’s powerful army chief flew directly from Tehran to join Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif in China.

This high-level synergy has also translated into tangible policy outcomes during the visit. A series of memoranda of understanding (MoUs) signed during the visit point to expanded development cooperation. These agreements focus on new phases of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), trade enhancement, technology sharing, agriculture and renewable energy. Additional projects in connectivity and industrial zones appear to be under discussion. This activity indicates a continued push to convert political understanding into practical outcomes.

It must be noted that the Chinese leadership extended significant attention to the Pakistani delegation, demonstrating a clear intent to frame the relationship in a long-term perspective. During his meeting with Sharif, Xi called Beijing’s partnership with Pakistan “unbreakable.” “No matter how the international situation changes, China always prioritises the development of China-Pakistan relations in its neighbourhood diplomacy,” he said.

It does seem that the Chinese view the partnership as relatively insulated from external geopolitical shifts. At times, even in the face of diplomatic pressures from the United states, this dynamic offers a degree of predictability for both sides.

Beyond the bilateral sphere, developments indicate that China values Pakistan’s role in wider regional stability. In joint meetings with Sharif and Munir, Xi explicitly appreciated Pakistan’s “constructive role” in U.S.-Iran negotiations.

“I know that you have just returned from Iran and made positive efforts for the........

© The Diplomat