China Presses Pakistan to Guarantee Security of Chinese Projects, Xi and Shehbaz Pledge to Upgrade CPEC Ties

Chinese President Xi Jinping on Tuesday pressed Pakistan to step up security for Chinese nationals and projects in the country, warning that the safety of personnel and institutions was essential to sustaining bilateral cooperation.

Image Source: Pak PM

Meeting Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing ahead of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) Summit, Xi said Beijing backed Islamabad’s counterterrorism efforts but expected “solid and effective measures” to prevent further attacks. 

The appeal comes after a series of assaults on Chinese workers linked to Belt and Road projects, including the China–Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC).

The two leaders announced plans to launch CPEC 2.0 and upgrade the China–Pakistan Free Trade Agreement, expanding collaboration into industry, agriculture, and mining. 

Xi described the bilateral relationship as an “ironclad friendship” that had endured decades of regional turbulence, and urged both sides to accelerate the building of a “China–Pakistan community with a shared future.”

Sharif, on his first visit to China since taking office, congratulated Beijing on the 80th anniversary of its victory in the War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression and reiterated Pakistan’s commitment to the One-China principle. 

He pledged that his government would “leave no stone unturned” in protecting Chinese personnel and projects, and voiced support for Beijing’s Global Governance Initiative.