Zardari Concludes China Visit with Strategic Agreements

President Asif Ali Zardari concluded his five-day visit to China with key agreements and strategic talks in various sectors.

Zardari left from Sanya, where he was greeted by senior officials including Wang Qiang, Pakistan’s ambassador to China Khalil Hashmi, and China’s ambassador to Pakistan Jiang Zaidong. The visit included stops in Hunan and Hainan, focusing on industrial development, agriculture, and the maritime economy.

A major focus of the trip was advancing the next phase of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC 2.0). Discussions centered around boosting domestic industrial growth and enhancing collaboration in the blue economy, with an emphasis on diversifying cooperation into technology-driven and sustainable sectors.

In Changsha, three memoranda of understanding were signed to promote cooperation in seawater desalination, agricultural technology, and the tea industry. In Sanya, two additional MOUs covering machinery, animal vaccines, and medical technology were signed, along with a joint investment agreement for high-value industries.

The visit included meetings with provincial leadership on region-specific opportunities for collaboration, particularly in agriculture, manufacturing, and marine development. Zardari also visited Mao Zedong’s hometown in Shaoshan and attended the commissioning ceremony of Pakistan Navy’s first Hangor-class submarine in Sanya, symbolizing a key milestone in defense cooperation between the two countries.