Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s China visit to mark launch of CPEC Phase-II

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s upcoming visit to China later this month will formally launch the second phase of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC-II), focused on industrial cooperation after a five-year delay. Planning Minister Ahsan Iqbal said the visit would set clear priorities and measurable outcomes, emphasizing quality, sustainability, and institutional strengthening. The agenda includes industrial relocation, special economic zones, agriculture, AI, and human resource development through 10,000 Chinese training opportunities. Pakistan aims to expand exports to capture $30-50bn of China’s $2 trillion import market. The minister also highlighted AI’s potential to add nearly Rs25 trillion to Pakistan’s economy by 2030, boosting sectors such as agriculture, manufacturing, mining, fintech, energy, and defence.