A Pakistani delegation, including foreign affairs expert Muhammad Mehdi and bureaucrats from Balochistan, visited China on the invitation of the Chinese government. The trip was organized by the Chinese Embassy in Islamabad.
During their stay in Beijing, the group held meetings with senior officials from China’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Tianjin University, and various government and business institutions. According to a statement issued in Beijing on November 8, the discussions centered on Pakistan-China bilateral relations, regional cooperation, the strategic importance of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), the development of Gwadar Port, and methods to expand trade ties.
The delegation met with several specific officials, including Cheng Wei, Counsellor in the South Asia Division of China’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs; Tianjin Li Xiang, Deputy Director-General at the ministry; and Gao Yuqing, Director of the Tianjin International Trade and Shipping Centre. The meetings were intended to strengthen the friendship between the two nations and explore new avenues for economic and commercial cooperation.
Speaking during the meetings, Muhammad Mehdi stated that Gwadar is not merely a Pakistani port but also serves as a potential trade gateway to West Asia. He noted that the port provides China with one of the shortest maritime routes for trade with Europe and Africa. Mehdi reported that the security situation in Balochistan is gradually improving due to effective strategies by Pakistan’s security forces, though he stressed that the two countries need to develop a coordinated joint strategy to address security challenges facing CPEC.
Mehdi congratulated Chinese officials on the initiative to make Tianjin Port the world’s first carbon-free port and expressed hope that similar modern, environmentally friendly, and sustainable development projects could be developed for the ports of Karachi and Gwadar. He suggested that bringing Pakistan’s port infrastructure in line with modern international standards could open new opportunities for economic cooperation.
