Shenzhen, China, 06 June 2024 (Media Reports)

In a landmark move, China has pledged to offer free artificial intelligence (AI) training to 200,000 Pakistanis. This initiative is part of a series og agreements signed between Chinese technology companies and Pakistan, aimed at enhancing cooperation in various technological fields.

The agreements also encompass the establishment of safe cities in Pakistan, advancements in e-governance, cloud services, and the digitization of the economy.

During a visit to Huawei’s headquarters in Shenzhen, China, Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif, accompanied by members of his cabinet, was greeted with traditional music and saw the facility adorned with vibrant Pakistani truck art. This cultural exchange underscored the deepening ties between the two nations.

Prime Minister Sharif met with the Chairman of Huawei and extended an invitation for him to visit Pakistan and explore investment opportunities. Speaking at the Pakistan-China Business Forum, Sharif emphasized the importance of looking forward, stating, “If you stay in the past, you will not be able to achieve anything.”

Pakistan’s Prime Minister Muhammad Shahbaz Sharif is in China on a five day official visit to attend the Pak-China Business Forum.

During his current visit, he witnessed signing of 32 MOUs in various sectors including energy, infrastructure development, farming, engineering, construction and logistics sectors, alongside successful bilateral negotiations with the Chinese companies.

Upon his arrival at the Beijing airport on the 2nd day of his official visit to China, he was received by Chinese Vice Foreign Minister Sun Weidong.

Federal Minister for the Board of Investment Abdul Aleem Khan announced that 500 Chinese and 100 Pakistani companies participated in the Pak-China Business Forum. 

The forum, aimed at strengthening business ties between Pakistan and China, featured extensive discussions and agreements, further enhancing economic collaboration between the two nations.

Chinese President Xi Jinping held meeting with Muhammad Shahbaz Sharif on Friday at the Peoples Hall, Beijing.

President Xi pointed out that China and Pakistan are good neighbors linked by mountains and rivers, good friends who share faith and righteousness, good partners who help each other, and good brothers who share weal and woe.

Xi said that China-Pakistan all-weather strategic cooperative partnership had continuously deepened and enjoyed solid public support with a strong internal driving force and broad prospects for development.

He said that China stands ready to work with Pakistan to firmly support each other, strengthen cooperation, deepen strategic coordination, accelerate the building of an even closer China-Pakistan community with a shared future in the new era, and make greater contributions to regional peace, stability, development, and prosperity, Xi noted.

He stressed that the key to the ever-strengthening ironclad friendship between China and Pakistan lies in mutual understanding, high trust, and firm support between the two sides. He thanked Pakistan for its long-term and firm support for China on issues related to China’s core interests and major concerns.

China will, as always, firmly support Pakistan in safeguarding national sovereignty and territorial integrity, in pursuing a development path suited to its national conditions, and in resolutely combating terrorism, he noted.

Xi said that China is ready to promote the alignment of high-quality Belt and Road cooperation with Pakistan’s development plans, carry out cooperation in agriculture, mining, and social livelihood in light of local conditions, make the high-quality development of China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) go deeper and be more concrete, and help boost Pakistan’s economic and social development.

It is hoped that Pakistan will continue to create a safe, stable, and predictable business environment and earnestly guarantee the safety of Chinese personnel, projects, and institutions in Pakistan, Xi said.