President Asif Zardari kicks off week-long China visit for talks on trade, CPEC

MOFA says visit is part of longstanding tradition of high-level exchanges between Pakistan and China

President Asif Ali Zardari arrived in China on Saturday for a week-long visit to discuss bilateral relations and mark the 75th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between the two countries.

The president landed in Changsha, where he was welcomed by Hu Xusheng, vice chairman of the Standing Committee of the Hunan Provincial People's Congress. Ambassadors of both countries were also present on the occasion.

A statement said that during his stay in Changsha, he will hold meetings with the provincial leadership.

"The president of Pakistan will also visit the birthplace of Chairman Mao Zedong and his former residence in Shaoshan, located in China's Hunan Province. During the president's visit, agreements and memoranda of understanding will be signed between the government of Sindh and Chinese companies. President Zardari's visit to China will help further strengthen economic cooperation, trade, and the strategic partnership on CPEC between the two countries."

صدر آصف علی زرداری چین کے شہر چانگشا پہنچ گئے۔

ہُونان صوبائی عوامی کانگریس کے نائب چیئرمین ہو ژوشینگ نے پرتپاک استقبال کیا۔

پاکستان میں چینی سفیر جیانگ زائی دونگ اور چین میں پاکستان کے سفیر خلیل ہاشمی بھی اس موقع پر موجود تھے۔

صدر زرداری چانگشا میں قیام کے دوران صوبائی قیادت… pic.twitter.com/srySwOkNxs

— PPP (@MediaCellPPP) April 25, 2026

The president departed for the visit from Lahore with Punjab Governor Saleem Haider seeing him off.

صدرآصف علی زرداری پانچ روزہ دورہ پر چین روانہ
لاہورائیرپورٹ پرگورنرپنجاب سردارسلیم حیدر نے صدر کو الوداع کیا
گورنر سردار سلیم حیدر کا صدرمملکت سے نیک تمناؤں کا اظہار pic.twitter.com/VT4dWBJbE7

— PTV News (@PTVNewsOfficial) April 25, 2026

The Foreign Office (FO) earlier said that the visit comes at the invitation of the Chinese government. According to a statement posted on X, the president will travel to Changsha, Hunan Province, from April 25 to 27, and then to Sanya, Hainan Province, from April 28 to May 1.

“He will hold meetings with provincial leadership to discuss Pakistan–China bilateral relations, with a particular focus on economic and trade cooperation and the China–Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC),” the FO said.

Pakistani President Asif Ali Zardari will undertake a visit to China from April 25 to May 1, according to Pakistan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The president will travel to Changsha in Hunan Province and Sanya in Hainan Province, and will hold meetings with the provincial… pic.twitter.com/WuIuucYICJ

— Global Times (@globaltimesnews) April 25, 2026

It added that the visit was part of the longstanding tradition of high-level exchanges between Pakistan and China, noting that it held special significance as it coincided with the 75th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between the two countries.

🔊PR No.1️⃣0️⃣9️⃣/2️⃣0️⃣2️⃣6️⃣

Curtain Raiser: Visit of the President of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan to the People’s Republic of China
🔗⬇️ pic.twitter.com/VpXAQMvP43

— Ministry of Foreign Affairs - Pakistan (@ForeignOfficePk) April 25, 2026

President Zardari last visited China in February 2025, meeting China's Premier Li Qiang to discuss the All-Weather Strategic Cooperative Partnership and the expansion of cooperation under CPEC 2.0, particularly in areas like renewable energy, science and technology, infrastructure, and agriculture.

Read More: Xi for building even closer Sino-Pak ties

The visit also included the signing of several Memoranda of Understanding (MoUs) between the two countries. These include agreements signed between Pakistan’s Thatta Cement Company and China’s Ching Gang Construction Group, aimed at increasing cement production in Pakistan by an additional 5,000 tonnes per day.

An MoU was also signed between the Sindh Energy Department and China’s Meng Yang Renewable Energy Company to explore joint renewable energy projects in Pakistan, while a coal gasification and urea production plant project between the Government of Sindh and a Chinese company was also formalised.