PM hails $440 million Pakistan-China pharmaceutical deals, promises enhanced security for Chinese investors

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Friday welcomed the signing of nine deals worth over $440 million between Pakistani and Chinese pharmaceutical companies, while reaffirming that the government would spare “no effort” to ensure the safety of Chinese citizens working in the country.

Pakistan has seen a surge in violence and terrorist attacks, particularly in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan, following the US withdrawal from Afghanistan and after the outlawed Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan ended its ceasefire with the government in November 2022. Attacks have largely focused on police personnel, law enforcement and security forces, although Chinese nationals have also been among the targets in recent years. These attacks have targeted Chinese citizens working on key infrastructure projects in Pakistan, particularly the multibillion-dollar China-Pakistan Economic Corridor initiative.

Addressing the Pakistan-China Business Conference on Pharmaceutical, Healthcare and Biotechnology Sector in Islamabad, Prime Minister Shehbaz attached great importance to the security of the 300 Chinese delegates.

“I would like to say with [the] all the strength at my disposal that the security of our Chinese brothers and sisters in Pakistan is paramount to us. We will spare no effort to provide them with the best possible security,” he said.

The prime minister thanked local business leaders for their contribution to the development of the country’s pharmaceutical sector, saying they had made “great efforts just to show that these agreements would most certainly turn into actionable documents” that would be a step forward in promoting the second phase of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor.

“We have just witnessed a ceremony of agreements between Pakistani and Chinese entrepreneurs worth almost 440 million dollars.”

The conference was attended by the Chinese Ambassador to Pakistan, representatives of local and Chinese pharmaceutical companies, federal ministers, special assistants, senior government officials and a large number of other participants, according to a press release issued by the Prime Minister’s Office.

Read: Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi announces creation of special protection unit for Chinese nationals

It said the agreements were signed between the private pharmaceutical sectors of Pakistan and China, including agreements on local vaccine production, biotechnology, drug manufacturing, technology exchange and hepatitis prevention.

A cooperation agreement regarding the national protective vaccine program was also finalized at the conference.

Prime Minister Shehbaz described China as Pakistan’s “most trustworthy and reliable friend” and said China played an important role in Pakistan’s economic development.

“China has supported Pakistan at all global forums, and $30 billion investment has been invested under CPEC 1.0,” he said while thanking Chinese leaders for their unwavering support.

Prime Minister Shehbaz hailed Chinese President Xi Jinping as a “visionary leader” who has “completely transformed Chinese society and economy.”

He said China’s economic and strategic development is “unprecedented” and praised the hard work and performance of the Chinese people in education, research, development and other sectors.

He also appreciated the efforts of the business community of both countries, Federal Minister for Health, Special Assistant on Industry and Production, Chinese Ambassador to Pakistan and Pakistan Ambassador to China for strengthening cooperation between the two countries.

Learn more: PM hails B2B cooperation with China

Referring to the recent war between the United States and Iran, the prime minister said it had created major challenges for the world.

He said Pakistan had played an important mediating role between the United States and Iran, with friendly and brotherly countries, including China, providing full cooperation.

The prime minister said President Xi Jinping has also given his full support to these efforts.

Reiterating the importance of Pakistan-China relations, the Prime Minister highlighted that the friendship between the two countries was “higher than the Himalayas, sweeter than honey and stronger than steel”.

Threat to Chinese security

The federal government on Wednesday said it was beefing up security around the Saindak copper and gold mine in Balochistan after terrorist violence disrupted supply routes.

Minister of State for Interior Talal Chaudhry said the government became aware of the mine operator’s security concerns in early July and ordered agencies to increase their deployment around its facilities, personnel and goods.

“We have asked the provincial authorities and all relevant security agencies to strengthen the deployment of all their facilities, personnel, logistics and transportation,” Chaudhry had said. Reuters.

“Our priority is to safeguard all projects run by international companies in Pakistan,” he said, adding that logistics and shipments of goods to the site would have additional security protection.

Balochistan, which borders Iran and Afghanistan, is home to several major Chinese-backed projects, including the Gwadar deep-water port.

THE Financial times reported that Saindak’s managing director had warned the energy ministry that operations could become unsustainable within a month because deteriorating security conditions were disrupting supply routes.

The Saindak mine is operated by the State Metallurgical Corporation of China under an extended lease in 2022 and exports most of its production to China.

China’s Foreign Ministry said it was not aware of the situation but that Beijing would work with its close partner Pakistan to protect Chinese citizens, projects and institutions in the country.

One of the worst attacks on Chinese personnel occurred in July 2021, when a total of 10 Chinese nationals lost their lives and 26 others were injured in a suicide attack on a bus transporting them to the Dasu hydropower project construction site.

In March 2024, six people, including five Chinese engineers, were killed in a suicide attack in Besham, a remote region of Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa province. Around the same time, a massive explosion on a road near Jinnah International Airport in Karachi killed three people, including two Chinese engineers, and injured at least 11 others.

The government established a Special Protection Unit in February this year exclusively responsible for the security of Chinese nationals, reiterating that their security remained a top priority.