Pakistan and China sign agreements covering agriculture, education, media and trade

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Chinese Premier Li Qiang on Monday witnessed the signing and exchange of several agreements, memorandums of understanding (MoUs), protocols and cooperation documents in Beijing.

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif landed in Hangzhou on Saturday, kicking off his four-day official visit to China to commemorate the 75th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between the two countries.

After concluding his engagements in Hangzhou, Prime Minister Shehbaz arrived in Beijing, where he held high-level meetings with Chinese Premier Li Qiang to discuss trade, investment, agriculture, science and technology, industrial cooperation and the second phase of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing.

According to the Prime Minister’s Office, the agreements “aim to further deepen cooperation in the fields of trade, investment, agriculture, science and technology, climate change, education, media and people-to-people exchanges.”

The signed documents covered a wide range of sectors. In the agricultural field, the two sides signed a protocol on inspection, quarantine and sanitary requirements for dried fruits and nuts, a protocol on phytosanitary requirements for corn, a memorandum of understanding on strengthening development cooperation in the agricultural sector and a letter of exchange on animal vaccines.

In the fields of economic development and trade, the two sides signed a memorandum of understanding on deepening trade and cooperation in the field of economic development and a memorandum of understanding on supporting free trade and multilateralism.

Read also: Pakistani, Chinese companies sign deals worth over $7 billion at Hangzhou conference

In education and governance, the two countries signed an executive program on educational cooperation and exchanges, a memorandum of understanding on cooperation between the Foreign Service Academy and the China Foreign Affairs University, a memorandum of understanding between the Party School of the CPC Central Committee – also known as the China National Governance Academy – and the National School of Public Policy of Pakistan, and a memorandum of understanding on the joint implementation of the human resources development cooperation program for 2026.

In the area of ​​science and technology, a memorandum of understanding on conformity assessment was signed alongside a memorandum of understanding between the Pakistan Science Foundation and the China Science and Technology Association. A memorandum of understanding on cooperation in the areas of environment and climate change was also among the documents exchanged.

In the media sector, Xinhua News Agency and Pakistan Broadcasting Corporation signed a memorandum of understanding, as did China Media Group and Pakistan Television, with the latter focusing on cooperation in joint production of documentaries.

The two sides also formalized a twinning relationship between Zhejiang province and Punjab province.

Prime Minister Shehbaz said the signing of these agreements “reflects the growing depth and diversity of cooperation between Pakistan and China and opens new avenues of collaboration in key sectors that directly contribute to the well-being and prosperity of the people of both countries.”

Pakistani and Chinese companies signed MoUs worth over $7 billion on Sunday during a series of high-level engagements led by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif in the Chinese city of Hangzhou.

A major deal signed at the conference on Sunday included a $1.12 billion deal between Haolu Engineering and Technology Company and Fauji Fertilizer for fertilizer production. Another MoU worth $100 million was signed between IBI Beijing United Information Technology and RIC for cooperation in the areas of agrochemicals, agricultural machinery and establishment of a regional office in Multan.

Officials said more than 200 MoUs worth over $20 billion were signed during five Pakistan-China business conferences held so far.