Pakistan was one of the first few countries that recognized the People’s Republic of China. Formal diplomatic relations were established on 21 May 1951. Over the years, the relationship has blossomed into an “All-Weather Strategic Cooperative Partnership”. Pakistan considers China as one of its closest friends and partner and China considers Pakistan as its “Iron Brother”. To understand this journey of pure friendship, the chronology of milestones/ achievements is described below:-
- 1950 First official high-level delegation of Pakistan visited China on 4 January 1950
- 1951 The two countries formally established diplomatic relations on 21 May 1951
- 1955 Visit of Vice President Madam Song Ching Ling to Pakistan
- 1956 Visit of Prime Minister H.S. Suhrawardy to China
- 1963 Visit of Foreign Minister Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto to China
- 1963 Pakistan and China conclude a boundary agreement through peaceful negotiations
- 1964 Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) starts its flights to Beijing, becoming the first non-communist country airline to fly from Beijing
- 1965 Agreement on Cultural Cooperation signed
- 1970 Pakistan facilitates the first visit by US President Nixon to China, paving way for the first-ever US-China official contact
- 1976 Agreement on Scientific and Cultural Cooperation signed
- 1978 The Karakoram Highway, a construction miracle, linking mountainous Northern Pakistan with Western China officially opens
- 1983 Pakistan and China sign MoU on Educational Exchanges
- 1989 The two countries sign an agreement on Reciprocal Encouragement and Protection of Investments
- 1995 Agreement for Traffic in Transit is signed between the Governments of Pakistan, China, Kazakhstan, and Kyrgyzstan
- 1995 Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto visits China as a special guest to attend the 4th Women’s Conference in Beijing
- 1999 The contract to jointly develop and produce JF-17 was signed
- 2001 Premier Zhu Rongji visits Pakistan on the occasion of 50 years of establishment of Diplomatic Relations
- 2001 China and Pakistan sign agreement on Tourism Cooperation
- 2003 Preferential Trade Agreement is signed between the two countries
- 2005 Bilateral MoU on Cooperation in Information Technology is concluded
- 2005 Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao visits Pakistan
- 2005 “Treaty of Friendship, Cooperation, and Good Neighborly Relations” is signed between the two countries
- 2006 Chinese President Hu Jintao pays an official visit to Pakistan
- 2006 China and Pakistan sign Free Trade Agreement
- 2008 Pakistan welcomes the Chinese Olympic Torch in Islamabad
- 2010 Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao visits Pakistan
- 2010 JF-17 inducted in Pakistan Air Force
- 2013 Premier Li Keqiang visits Pakistan in May and both sides issue a Joint Statement on Deepening Comprehensive Strategic Cooperation
- In 2013 Pakistan and China sign the landmark Memorandum of Understanding on Cooperation for the Long-term Plan on the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor
- 2013 Pakistan awards a contract for the construction and operation of Gwadar Port to China
- 2013 Prime Minister Mohammad Nawaz Sharif visits China and both sides agree to Common Vision for Deepening China-Pakistan Strategic Cooperative Partnership in the New Era
- 2013 Both countries signed a Memorandum of Understanding on the Cooperation of Developing China-Pakistan Economic Corridor Long-term Plan and Action
- 2014 The governments of Pakistan and China agree on the construction of a 27 km Orange Line metro train project in Punjab
- 2015 Chinese President Xi Jinping visits Pakistan. The two sides conclude more than 50 agreements on infrastructure, energy, and industrial development
- 2015 The two countries celebrate 2015 as the Year of Friendly Exchanges 2015 – Trade between the two countries reaches the US $16 billion
- 2015 Chinese President Xi Jinping undertakes a landmark visit to Pakistan, both countries signed over 50 documents including an agreement on CPEC outlining projects worth 46 USD.
- 2016 The two countries’ 65th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations.
- 2016 China-Pakistan unveils the Long-term Plan of China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC)
- 2017 Prime Minister Muhammad Nawaz Sharif attends the Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation in Beijing.
- 2018 Prime Minister Imran Khan pays a historic visit to China and both sides agreed to further strengthen the All-Weather Strategic Cooperative Partnership and jointly build a closer China-Pakistan Community of Shared Future in the New Era.
- 2018 CPEC enters its Second Phase
- 2018 Phase-II of the China-Pakistan Free Trade Agreement was signed
- 2018 Prime Minister Imran Khan attends the First China International Import Expo (CIIE) in Shanghai.
- 2018 Groundbreaking of Rashakai Special Economic Zone
- 2018 Pakistan launches Remote Sensing Satellite-1 (PRSS-1) from China’s Jiuquan Satellite Centre
- 2019 Groundbreaking of Allama Iqbal Industrial City (M3), Faisalabad Special Economic Zone
- 2019 Prime Minister Imran Khan visits China to attend the Second Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation
- 2019 JWG on International Coordination and Cooperation launched
- 2019 Visit of Chinese Vice President to Pakistan in May
- 2019 The two sides celebrate 2019 as the year of the sister city / province
- 2019 Pakistan hosts the Third China-Afghanistan-Pakistan Trilateral Foreign Ministers Dialogue in Islamabad
- 2019 Visit of Prime Minister to China in October
- 2019 CPEC Authority has been set up to coordinate and monitor progress on CPEC Projects
- 2019 A CPEC Cell was also established in the Prime Minister’s Office
- 2019 9th JCC took place in Islamabad in November
- 2020 CPFTA-II became operational on 1st January
- 2020 Extensive bilateral coordination in the wake of the Corona Virus pandemic
- 2020 Visit of the President to China in March
- 2020 MOUs signed including MOU to establish JWGs on Science & Technology and Agricultural Cooperation
China Pakistan friendship is described as Sweater than Honey, Stronger than Steel, Deeper than Ocean, Higher than Himalaya, is eternal love and pure. It has grown into all dimensions, all-weather, and time-tested in all respect. It has emerged as a strategic partnership and nation of shared destiny. It will grow further with time and nourish more.