Pakistan, China sign MoUs as Chinese Premier Li arrives for SCO summit

Chinese Premier Li Qiang arrived in Islamabad on Monday for a four-day visit, during which he will attend the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) summit on October 15-16. The visit is under tight security, with Islamabad on lockdown.

Premier Li was welcomed by Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif at Noor Khan Air Base with a red carpet reception.

Children in traditional attire presented bouquets to the Chinese premier, and Pakistan’s armed forces offered a formal salute. This marks the first visit by a Chinese premier to Pakistan in 11 years.

Streets in the capital were decorated with Pakistani and Chinese flags, along with banners celebrating the two nations' strong bilateral ties. The visit is seen as a reaffirmation of their 'All-Weather Strategic Cooperative Partnership'.

Ahead of the summit, the Pakistani government has implemented stringent security measures, including a three-day public holiday in Islamabad. Schools and businesses will remain closed, and security forces are heavily deployed across the city.

  

Pakistan PM House

Pakistan's Prime Minister welcomes Chinese Premier Li Qiang as he arrives for four-day visit, to attend SCO summit on October 15-16.

Virtual inauguration of Gwadar Airport

Later in the day, PM Shehbaz’s office said that he and Li discussed economic and trade ties and cooperation under the China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), a $65 billion investment in the South Asian country under Chinese President Xi Jinping's Belt and Road Initiative.

They both also inaugurated virtually the CPEC-funded Gwadar International Airport in Balochistan province in a ceremony telecast live by Pakistan's state run TV.

Shehbaz described it a gift from Beijing and the people of China under the CPEC.

Pakistan, China sign agreements

Both countries solidified their partnership by signing 13 agreements aimed at enhancing cooperation across various sectors, including security, education, agriculture, and technology. The accords were finalized during delegation-level talks between PM Shehbaz and Chinese Premier Li.

Key agreements included a Handing Over Certificate for the Smart Classrooms Project and minutes from the 13th CPEC Joint Coordination Committee meeting.

Both nations committed to bolster collaboration in information and communication technology, flood control, and security measures. Additional agreements addressed human resource development and assistance programs for firefighting vehicles in Islamabad.

Other notable agreements involved joint laboratories, co-production of TV programs, a currency swap agreement, and protocols for donkey meat exports to China.

'Visit to foster deeper exchanges'

Li expressed his optimism about the visit, saying it would foster deeper exchanges between the two countries. He praised Pakistan’s development efforts, noting China's appreciation for its continued commitment to reforms.

Prime Minister Sharif called the visit historic, stating that it would strengthen ties and advance ongoing initiatives, particularly CPEC. He emphasized that the partnership between the two nations is a cornerstone of regional stability and prosperity.

The visit comes after a recent suicide bombing in Karachi that killed two Chinese nationals and injured 11 others. Sharif has vowed to ensure the safety of Chinese personnel and projects in Pakistan, pledging to personally oversee the investigation into the attack.

Terrorist attack

The visit comes in the wake of the killing of two Chinese nationals in a terrorist attack in Pakistan's port city of Karachi late on the night of Oct. 6, Pakistani officials said.

Confirming the death toll, Pakistan's Foreign Ministry stated, "This deplorable act of terrorism is an attack not only on Pakistan but also on the enduring friendship between Pakistan and China. We remain resolute in bringing to justice those responsible for this cowardly attack, including the Majeed Brigade."

The brigade is a cell of the banned separatist outfit Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA) that claimed the attack shortly after it was reported.

A total of 10 injured individuals were brought to the Jinnah Postgraduate Medical Center (JPMC), a major public hospital in the city, Dawn reported quoting a police surgeon.

According to a Chinese embassy statement, a convoy carrying Chinese staff of the Port Qasim Electric Power Company (Private) Limited had been attacked around 11 p.m., killing two Chinese nationals and injuring one other. It said there were Pakistani casualties as well.

What is the SCO?

The SCO, initially established by China and Russia, now includes 10 permanent members.

The founding members, China, Russia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan, and Tajikistan, were later joined by Pakistan and India in June 2017.

Currently, three countries hold observer status and 14 are dialogue partners, together representing about 40% of the global population and approximately 32% of the world’s GDP. Iran and Belarus were the latest additions in 2023 and 2024.

The organization’s goals include promoting regional peace, enhancing economic and technological cooperation, and encouraging good neighborly relations. A meeting of the SCO’s Ministers of Trade and Economic Affairs will be held on September 10-11, preceding the summit.

Pakistan is hosting the 23rd CHG meeting of the SCO, which will be chaired by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif.

Leaders from China, Russia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, and Iran are expected to participate, alongside India's External Affairs Minister. The meeting will focus on cooperation in economic, trade, and socio-cultural sectors, with key decisions to be adopted to enhance ties between member states.