Pakistan prime minister signs $8.5 billion in investment deals with China

Pakistan has signed $8.5 billion worth of new investment agreements with China during Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s official visit to Beijing, state media reported on Friday.

The agreements were finalized on Thursday in the Chinese capital and cover a wide range of sectors. According to officials, the package includes $7 billion in memoranda of understanding (MoUs) and $1.5 billion in joint ventures, with projects spanning agriculture, renewable energy, electric vehicles, healthcare, steel manufacturing, and other industries.

PM Shehbaz’s Visit and SCO Summit

The prime minister travelled to Beijing earlier this week to attend the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) heads of state summit, where he also held bilateral meetings with Chinese leaders on the sidelines.

At the investment conference, Sharif formally unveiled the second phase of the China–Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC 2.0), pledging to remove bureaucratic hurdles and speed up project execution.

In a televised address, he assured Chinese investors that his government is fully committed to enhancing security for Chinese workers in Pakistan.

CPEC’s Strategic Importance

The China–Pakistan Economic Corridor, first launched in 2015, is a multibillion-dollar network of roads, railways, ports, and energy projects designed to link China’s Xinjiang region with Gwadar Port on the Arabian Sea.

CPEC is a flagship project of President Xi Jinping’s Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), which aims to strengthen global trade connectivity through large-scale infrastructure development.

Security Concerns for Chinese Workers

Thousands of Chinese nationals are currently employed on CPEC-linked projects in Pakistan. However, their presence has also drawn the attention of militants. Baloch separatist groups and Pakistani Taliban militants have carried out repeated attacks targeting Chinese engineers and workers.

These incidents have led Beijing to issue multiple calls for Islamabad to strengthen protective measures around Chinese personnel and projects. Prime Minister Sharif, during his visit, emphasized that the safety of Chinese workers remains a top priority for his government.

A Step Toward Economic Revival

The $8.5 billion agreements mark a significant step forward in Pakistan’s efforts to attract fresh investment, bolster economic activity, and strengthen its strategic partnership with China. With CPEC 2.0 now shifting focus toward industry, agriculture, and advanced technology, officials believe the new projects will help drive sustainable growth and deepen economic integration between the two countries.