September 3, 2025

Pakistan’s Army Chief, Field Marshal Asim Munir, had a vibrant first meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping on Tuesday. He was there alongside Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif at the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) summit in Tianjin. The two sides dove into lively talks about strong bilateral friendship and wider regional cooperation. Munir is part of the Pakistani delegation at the summit and is set to watch a grand Chinese army parade in Tianjin on Wednesday. This parade is extra special as it celebrates the 80th anniversary of the Chinese People's War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression. This will showcase China’s most modern weapons — from aerial systems to missiles — fascinating for Pakistan since over 80% of its weapons come from China. This visit is Munir’s first to China since taking charge as Field Marshal. Earlier in July, he met Vice President Han Zheng but didn’t get to meet President Xi then, unlike his predecessor, General Qamar Javed Bajwa. Interestingly, before this China trip, Munir had a rare lunch invitation from former US President Donald Trump — a move that raised eyebrows in Beijing, given China and Pakistan’s close 'all-weather' ties. President Xi welcomed the Pakistani leaders warmly, recognizing fast global changes "unseen in a century". Xi emphasized that a strong China-Pakistan bond helps maintain regional peace and development. "The two sides should accelerate building an even closer China-Pakistan community with a shared future in the new era," Xi said, urging cooperation to benefit both peoples and serve as a model for neighbors. He highlighted China's readiness to enhance the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) and the China-Pakistan Free Trade Agreement. Xi also expressed hope that Pakistan will take firm steps to protect Chinese workers, projects, and institutions inside Pakistan. Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar, who joined the talks, said they covered wide-ranging issues teaching the future of regional and bilateral cooperation. Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif praised Xi's Global Governance Initiative (GGI) introduced at the summit. Sharif called it "of great significance for world peace, development and stability" and promised full support to implement it. Sharif reaffirmed Pakistan’s commitment to the one-China principle and the deep friendship between the two nations. He promised, "to spare no effort in ensuring the safety of all Chinese personnel, projects and institutions in Pakistan." With vibrant talks, strong promises, and a dazzling military display on the horizon, this meeting between Munir and Xi sparks fresh energy into China-Pakistan ties — ready to shine brighter than ever!

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Tags: Pakistan army chief, Xi jinping, Shehbaz sharif, China-pakistan relations, Sco summit, China-pakistan economic corridor,