On Wednesday, Pakistan agreed to enhance trade and investment cooperation with China, according to a report by Reuters. The move follows heightened tensions with India, stemming from a deadly conflict that recently erupted between the two nations.
Earlier, on May 10, India and Pakistan reached a ceasefire after four days of intense fighting — the most severe escalation in three decades. The violence was triggered by an April 22 attack in Indian-administered Kashmir, which resulted in the deaths of 26 people.
In a joint development, Beijing and Islamabad committed to strengthening bilateral cooperation across multiple domains, including security and counterterrorism. They also agreed to accelerate progress on an upgraded version of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), a flagship Belt and Road Initiative project. India has previously objected to the project’s route through Jammu and Kashmir, citing concerns over territorial sovereignty.
The original phase of CPEC spans approximately 3,000 kilometers, linking China’s Xinjiang region with the port city of Gwadar in southern Pakistan. China has pledged $65 billion toward infrastructure development along this corridor.
On Tuesday, Pakistan’s Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar met with Chinese counterpart Wang Yi in Beijing. During the meeting, Wang expressed China’s support for efforts by both India and Pakistan to resolve disputes through dialogue and achieve a lasting ceasefire. He reaffirmed China’s commitment to assisting Pakistan in protecting its sovereignty and territorial integrity, as per a statement from the Chinese Foreign Ministry.
In addition to sustaining close diplomatic engagement, the two countries agreed to broaden cooperation in key sectors such as trade, agriculture, industrial development, and investment, according to Pakistan’s Foreign Ministry.
