Pakistan President Zardari Meets Chinese Official

China – Pakistan’s President Asif Ali Zardari met with senior Chinese Communist Party official Li Shulei in Chengdu on Saturday to discuss ways to enhance cooperation in political, economic, and cultural areas.

During the meeting, Zardari thanked the hosts for the Second Golden Panda Awards International Culture Forum and emphasised the importance of people-to-people exchanges alongside strategic and economic partnerships. “Pakistan is committed to deepening cooperation with China at every level,” he said.

Li, a member of the CPC Political Bureau and Minister of the Publicity Department, conveyed greetings from President Xi Jinping and praised Zardari’s recent article in China Daily, highlighting China’s respect for Pakistan’s perspectives.

Li further stated, “The world is changing, but China and Pakistan will remain ironclad brothers. Today, the world needs and deserves the fragrance of books rather than the smell of gunpowder,” underscoring the long-standing friendship between the two nations.

Observers noted that Zardari’s visit follows Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s recent trip to China, which resulted in $8.5 billion in investment agreements. Zardari’s engagement is expected to reinforce these gains and demonstrate Islamabad’s continued strategic alignment with Beijing.

China remains Pakistan’s largest trading partner, with bilateral trade exceeding $25 billion in recent years. Investments under the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) have supported energy, transport, infrastructure, and telecom sectors, further cementing economic ties.