Xi Jinping meets Pakistan PM Sharif in Beijing on May 25, 2026

Chinese President Xi Jinping met Pakistan’s Prime Minister Mian Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif in Beijing on Monday, a visit that Pakistan’s military leadership joined and that both sides used to spotlight their close ties and Pakistan’s role in Middle East diplomacy. ^{[4] [3]}

Pakistan’s Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir Ahmed Shah, the country’s first Chief of Defence Forces and also its Chief of the Army Staff, accompanied Sharif on the trip, according to reports by The Hindu and Al Jazeera. ^{[4] [3]}

During the meeting, Xi described Sharif as an “old friend” and framed the relationship as a constant in China’s regional strategy. ^[2] Xi said: “No matter how the international situation changes, China always prioritises the development of China-Pakistan relations in its neighbourhood diplomacy.” ^[2]

Al Jazeera reported Xi also hailed Beijing’s “unbreakable” friendship with Pakistan, calling it an “unbreakable traditional friendship” during Sharif’s visit. ^[3]

Sharif, for his part, cast the moment as one of global urgency and leaned heavily on the language of longstanding partnership. ^[4] “The world is passing through a critical moment,” Sharif said in Beijing, according to The Hindu. ^[4] He also called China and Pakistan “iron brother” countries with a relationship that is “next to none,” Al Jazeera reported. ^[3]

A major theme of the talks was diplomacy around the Middle East and Iran, with Sharif telling his hosts that Pakistan’s efforts to mediate between Iran and the United States were “moving in the right direction.” ^[1] Sharif also said Xi’s four-point Middle East plan offered a “guiding framework” for peace, according to the South China Morning Post. ^[1]

Xi publicly welcomed Pakistan’s involvement, saying: “China appreciates Pakistan’s proactive role in mediating peace in the Middle East.” ^[1] Sharif thanked China for backing Pakistan’s mediation efforts, the South China Morning Post reported. ^[1] In a separate account of the visit, The Hindu quoted Sharif as saying: “I would like to thank China's support to promote peace.” ^[4]

Xi also used the meeting to place China-Pakistan coordination in a broader geopolitical frame, saying the two countries should promote an “equitable and orderly multipolar world,” according to the South China Morning Post. ^[1]

The visit brought Pakistan’s civilian and military leadership to Beijing at the same time, with Munir accompanying Sharif as Xi and Sharif exchanged remarks about diplomacy and the “unbreakable” nature of the China-Pakistan relationship. ^{[4] [3]}