Xi Jinping Meets Pakistan PM Shehbaz Sharif, Hails Unbreakable Ties in Beijing

Chinese President Xi Jinping met Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif at Beijing’s Great Hall of the People on Monday, hailing China’s “unbreakable” friendship with Pakistan and seeking to deepen their “all-weather” partnership.

“China’s Xi backs Pakistan’s territorial integrity, hails Islamabad's US-Iran mediation to end war President Xi Jinping hosts Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, Field Marshal Asim Munir in Beijing Anadolu staff 25 May 2026•Update: 25 May 2026 ISTANBUL Chinese President Xi Jinping on Monday praised Pakistan’s mediation efforts between the US and Iran, also reiterating Beijing's "firm" support for the independence, sovereignty, and territorial integrity of the South Asian nation”

Anadolu Ajansı

Xi welcomed Sharif as an “old friend” and said, “No matter how the international situation changes, China always prioritises the development of China-Pakistan relations in its neighbourhood diplomacy.”

Anadolu Ajansı

The meeting came as Pakistan and China marked 75 years of diplomatic relations, with Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar, Chief of Defence Forces and Chief of Army Staff Field Marshal Asim Munir, and other senior officials present on the Pakistani side.

Shehbaz said Pakistan and China were “proudly celebrating 75 years of diplomatic relations,” and he reaffirmed the “iron-brother” relationship while thanking China’s leadership for “the very warm invitation to visit China.”

Alongside the diplomatic milestone, the leaders discussed regional tensions, with Xi praising Pakistan’s role in mediating efforts aimed at ending the US-Israel war on Iran.

Xi told Sharif, “No matter how the international situation changes, China always prioritizes the development of China-Pakistan relations in its neighborhood diplomacy,” and the Saudi Gazette said Beijing was willing to work with Islamabad to build a more close-knit China-Pakistan community with a shared future.

CNA

Sharif, speaking in Beijing alongside Munir, said, “The world is passing through a critical moment,” and he added, “Things are moving in the right direction.”

In the same meeting, the Express Tribune reported that Shehbaz said Pakistan had played a “very sincere role” in efforts to mediate between the US and Iran as he held high-level talks with Chinese Premier Li Qiang focused on regional stability and bilateral cooperation.

The sources tied the Beijing talks to the ongoing effort to restore peace and stability in the Middle East, with the Express Tribune saying the prime minister stressed the need for collective efforts to restore stability during a “very critical moment.”

“CNN – As the war in the Gulf enters its second month and drags the global economy downward with no exit in sight, questions are deepening about the role that China, a major global power and Iran's diplomatic partner, would like to play”

CNN Arabic

Shehbaz warned that the crisis had impacted both regional and global economies, particularly oil-importing countries such as Pakistan, saying, “Pakistan, being a net importer of oil and petroleum products, has also felt the economic impact.”

The Express Tribune also said the prime minister’s four-day visit runs from May 23-26 and that the trip was expected to highlight a new chapter in the 75-year-old China-Pakistan relationship.

In parallel, the Anadolu Ajansı report said Xi told Sharif that China “commends Pakistan for taking the initiative to play a mediating role in restoring peace in the Middle East,” while reiterating Beijing’s support for Pakistan’s independence, sovereignty, and territorial integrity.