International news organization Al Jazeera termed Pakistan’s Prime Minister a high-profile leader and reported that China is preparing to host another high-profile leader following recent visits by US President Donald Trump and Russia’s Vladimir Putin.
As Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif is on four days’ visit to meet Chinese leaders. The meeting is expected to focus on deepening strategic and economic ties as diplomatic efforts to end the Iran war continue.
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif was last in China in September, when he attended China’s military parade alongside Russia’s Vladimir Putin and North Korea’s Kim Jong-un. Beijing and Islamabad describe each other as all-weather friends, but recent conflicts have made that partnership even more strategically important.
China imports large amounts of oil and gas from the Middle East, much of it passing through the Strait of Hormuz. With the war in Iran disrupting energy flows, Beijing has been looking for trusted regional partners to help protect its interests. Pakistan has become one of them. Pakistan shares a long border with Iran and maintains close ties with the Gulf states and the US. In recent months, it has positioned itself as an important mediator.
China and Pakistan have also jointly called for a ceasefire and de-escalation. Pakistan is also strategically valuable to Beijing because of India. China and India are rivals in territory, military influence, and regional power. Strong ties with Islamabad give Beijing another point of leverage in South Asia. Chinese President and Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif will also discuss expanding trade and investment as Pakistan tries to stabilize its struggling economy, as well as security cooperation, with Beijing likely to raise the protection of Chinese nationals working in Pakistan.
Defence exports could also be on the agenda as Beijing has sold missile systems, submarines, and fighter jets to Islamabad, jets that were used in its skirmish with India last year. It is clear China sees Pakistan as a key player in protecting its interests, from energy security and Iran, to providing a valuable counterweight to India in a region that is increasingly unstable.
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