Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif departed for China on Saturday to attend the 25th Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Council of Heads of State Meeting, held in Tianjin from August 31 to September 2, 2025. The visit also includes participation in the 80th anniversary celebrations of China’s victory over Fascism in World War II in Beijing. During this historic trip, PM Shehbaz is scheduled to meet Chinese President Xi Jinping, Premier Li Qiang, and other world leaders to discuss enhancing regional cooperation and advancing multilateral peace and prosperity.
In addition to high-level diplomacy, the Prime Minister will engage with prominent Chinese businessmen and corporate executives to strengthen trade, investment, and economic ties between the two countries. A highlight of the visit will be PM Shehbaz’s address at the Pakistan-China B2B Investment Conference in Beijing. Accompanied by Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar, Information Minister Attaullah Tarar, and Adviser Tariq Fatemi, the delegation will focus on deepening the “All Weather Strategic Cooperative Partnership” and advancing the second phase of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC).
The SCO summit in Tianjin is expected to be the largest in the organization’s history, with leaders from Russia, India, Central Asia, and Southeast Asia attending under the theme “Upholding the Shanghai Spirit: SCO on the Move.” Originally founded as a security alliance, the SCO has expanded to include economic and military cooperation, playing a key role in addressing regional security, economic development, and long-term strategic planning.
Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar highlighted Pakistan’s trust-based strategic partnership with China, praising President Xi Jinping’s leadership and initiatives like the Belt and Road and the Global Development, Security, and Civilization Initiatives. He emphasized the SCO’s vital role in fostering multilateralism, stability, and inclusive growth in today’s multipolar world, looking forward to productive engagements with SCO members during the summit.
