Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has begun an official visit to China amid ongoing regional diplomatic developments and growing focus on Beijing’s role in regional stability efforts.

According to a statement issued by Pakistan’s Prime Minister’s Office, Sharif arrived in Hangzhou, the capital of China’s Zhejiang province, for the first leg of his four-day visit scheduled to continue until May 26.

The Pakistani premier was received at the airport by Zhejiang Vice Governor Xu Wenguang.

Sharif is accompanied by Foreign Minister Mohammad Ishaq Dar, Planning Minister Ahsan Iqbal, Information and Broadcasting Minister Ataullah Tarar and Information Technology Minister Shaza Fatima Khawaja.

During his stay in Zhejiang, Sharif is expected to hold talks with Communist Party Secretary Wang Hao and attend a business conference focused on investment opportunities in information technology and telecommunications between Pakistan and China.

Officials also expect the signing of a sister-region agreement between Zhejiang province and Pakistan’s Punjab province as part of efforts to strengthen economic and regional cooperation.

The Pakistani prime minister is additionally scheduled to visit the headquarters of Chinese technology giant Alibaba in Hangzhou.

In the second phase of the visit, Sharif will travel to Beijing for high-level meetings with Chinese President Xi Jinping, Premier Li Qiang and senior Chinese parliamentary officials.

The visit comes at a time of heightened diplomatic activity in the region, particularly following Pakistan’s reported mediation role in efforts linked to tensions involving Iran and the United States, with China seen as supporting broader regional de-escalation initiatives.

Observers say the visit reflects deepening strategic coordination between Islamabad and Beijing on economic cooperation, technology partnerships and regional geopolitical developments. (ILKHA)