Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif on Thursday pledged to eliminate bureaucratic hurdles for foreign investors as Pakistan and Chinese firms signed $4.2 billion worth of agreements at the Second Pakistan-China B2B Investment Conference.
Addressing the high-level gathering in Beijing, the prime minister formally launched “CPEC 2.0,” a new phase of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor, shifting focus toward business-to-business (B2B) investments in agriculture, minerals, IT and artificial intelligence, and industrial relocation.
Shehbaz Sharif reassured Chinese delegates that Pakistan would treat their companies as partners. “We will not tolerate a second’s delay in facilitating investment. Pakistan is your second home, just as China is ours,” he said. He also underlined that the security of Chinese nationals in Pakistan remains a top priority.
Referring to the first phase of CPEC, launched during President Xi Jinping’s 2015 visit to Pakistan, the prime minister credited it with transforming Pakistan’s energy and infrastructure sectors. “We were facing up to 20 hours of power outages daily. Today, thanks to President Xi’s dynamic leadership, Pakistan became energy self-sufficient. That was the turning point,” he noted.
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Highlighting future opportunities, Shehbaz Sharif said Pakistan’s agriculture sector employs nearly 60 percent of its population and could greatly benefit from Chinese expertise. He also pointed to Special Economic Zones (SEZs) as attractive destinations for joint ventures, offering competitive labor and export potential.
In an emotional reflection, the prime minister recalled his first visit to China in 1982, praising the country’s remarkable transformation. “China has lifted more than 700 million people out of poverty. This is the model we want to borrow and replicate in Pakistan,” he said, commending President Xi Jinping’s leadership for promoting shared prosperity and multilateralism.
Shehbaz Sharif concluded his address with a call for stronger economic cooperation. “The path ahead is challenging, but not impossible. With China’s support and our commitment, we will make Pakistan a strong and vibrant economy. Let today mark the beginning of that journey.”
The signing ceremony was attended by senior Pakistani and Chinese officials, including Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar, Pakistan’s Ambassador to China Khalil Hashmi, federal ministers, and Chairman of the China Council for the Promotion of International Trade.
