International Affairs
Chinese President Xi Jinping met with Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif in Beijing on Tuesday, pressing Islamabad to strengthen protection for Chinese nationals and Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) projects as the two leaders discussed deeper economic and strategic cooperation. The meeting took place on the side-lines of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Summit and events marking the 80th anniversary of the end of World War II.
Xi flagged growing concern in Beijing about recurring militant attacks that have targeted Chinese workers and infrastructure in Pakistan, and urged Pakistani authorities to do more to secure personnel involved in BRI schemes — including stronger field protection for projects and workers. State and independent reporting said China has also pushed Islamabad to consider measures that would allow more direct protection of Chinese staff at sensitive sites.
Pakistan — which has deployed extra security around key installations in recent years — told Xi it remains committed to safeguarding bilateral projects and to accelerating cooperation on planned infrastructure and trade initiatives. Sharif, travelling to China for the SCO meetings, stressed continuity in Pakistan-China ties and signalled intent to push ahead with cooperation on CPEC-related work and other joint ventures.
The talks underline the strategic importance Beijing places on its relationship with Islamabad. Chinese foreign ministry material described the bond between the two countries as a resilient, “ironclad” friendship and said leaders exchanged views on regional stability and development. Analysts note that China’s security ask reflects both concrete security incidents particularly in Balochistan and parts of northwest Pakistan and Beijing’s desire to avoid disruptions to large-scale investments.
The visit also included meetings between Xi and Pakistan’s senior security leadership: Pakistan’s army chief, Field Marshal Asim Munir, met Xi as part of the delegation, highlighting the military-diplomatic dimension of ties between the two countries. Observers say such high-level engagement signals Islamabad’s willingness to prioritise Chinese concerns even as it balances other international relationships.
What this could mean in practice
- Tighter security posture: Islamabad may deepen protection measures around high-value BRI sites and further deploy specialised forces near vulnerable installations.
- Operational changes: Beijing’s push to permit more direct protection of Chinese personnel is sensitive politically and legally; any move to place foreign security operatives on Pakistani soil would require careful negotiation and likely face domestic scrutiny.
- Economic focus: Pakistan is expected to emphasise project continuity and possibly accelerate talks on trade and investment frameworks that were part of the leaders’ agenda.
Regional context and the SCO summit
The meeting occurred amid broader SCO gatherings in Tianjin that brought together major regional figures. China used the summit to showcase multilateral engagement while also handling a raft of bilateral discussions including with Pakistan aimed at solidifying strategic partnerships in a shifting geopolitical landscape.
