China and Pakistan have pledged to expand trade and deepen technological cooperation in areas ranging from agriculture to space exploration, at a time when Islamabad is warming to the United States.
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During a meeting on Thursday with Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, Premier Li Qiang said Beijing would advance the second phase of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), a flagship infrastructure project under the Belt and Road Initiative.
“Global instability and uncertainty have grown this year,” Li said. “China stands ready to maintain close high-level exchanges with Pakistan, deepen strategic trust and strengthen cooperation.”
Sharif also expressed a willingness to expand cooperation in artificial intelligence, agriculture and trade, according to the state-run Xinhua News Agency.
On Wednesday, People’s Daily, the Communist Party mouthpiece, published an article by Sharif in which he praised Beijing’s support for Pakistan’s technological progress, particularly in agriculture and space science.
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“In its early days, the China-Pakistan partnership centred on strengthening political trust and security cooperation,” Sharif wrote. “Today, it spans far beyond politics and defence, extending into economic, scientific and cultural fields.”
Sharif said the expanded cooperation was only natural, given China’s technological progress combined with Pakistan’s young workforce and strategic location.