ISLAMABAD – Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif concluded his five-day "milestone" visit to China on Saturday, which featured high-profile meetings with top political and business leaders.

Before his departure, he announced plans to send 1,000 Pakistani students to a leading Chinese agricultural facility for advanced training.

His engagements across various Chinese cities aimed to upgrade the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), a flagship project of the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), through which Beijing has pledged over $60 billion to Pakistan.
The visit was particularly timely as Pakistan is navigating a prolonged economic crisis, actively pursuing foreign investments and enhanced trade opportunities, while also seeking another International Monetary Fund (IMF) bailout to maintain economic reforms.
During his time in Beijing, Sharif met with Chinese President Xi Jinping and Premier Li Qiang, who both reaffirmed their support for Pakistan’s efforts to become a regional hub of trade and connectivity.