Timed with the 75th anniversary of bilateral ties, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif's ongoing tour of China has reinforced the deep strategic and economic alignment between Islamabad and Beijing. While Beijing is always going to be the bigger partner, Shehbaz's meetings with all of China's top leaders – including President Xi Jinping and Prime Minister Li Qiang – and agreements in several critical areas speak of Islamabad's importance in the relationship. Some of the deals reached include agreements relating to agriculture, education, media cooperation and trade, reflecting the widening scope of the bilateral engagement beyond the traditional framework of infrastructure and defence ties. Pakistani officials also projected the tour as a shot in the arm for CPEC and for potentially attracting fresh investment at a time when Pakistan - like most of the world - has come under severe economic instability and fiscal........

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