PM hails Pakistan-China pharmaceutical deals worth $440 million, promises greater security for Chinese investors

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Friday welcomed the signing of nine deals worth more than $440 million between Pakistani and Chinese pharmaceutical companies, while reaffirming that the government would leave “no stone unturned” to ensure the safety of Chinese citizens working in the country.

Pakistan has seen a rise in violence and terrorist attacks, particularly in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan, following the US withdrawal from Afghanistan and after the banned Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan ended its ceasefire with the government in November 2022. The attacks have largely focused on police personnel, law enforcement agencies and security forces, although Chinese nationals have also been among the targets in recent times. years. These attacks have targeted Chinese nationals working on key infrastructure projects in Pakistan, particularly the multi-billion-dollar China-Pakistan Economic Corridor initiative.

Addressing the Pakistan-China Business to Business Conference on Pharmaceutical, Healthcare and Biotechnology Sector in Islamabad, Prime Minister Shehbaz attached great importance to the safety of 300 Chinese delegates.

“I would like to say with [the] with all my might at my command that the safety of the Chinese brothers and sisters in Pakistan is paramount to us. “We will spare no effort to offer them the best possible security,” he said.

The prime minister thanked local business leaders for contributing to the development of the country’s pharmaceutical sector and said they had made “great efforts just to demonstrate that these agreements will definitely be converted into implementable actions and documents” that would be a step forward in promoting the second phase of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor.

“We just witnessed a deal ceremony between Pakistani and Chinese businessmen worth almost $440 million.”

The conference was attended by China’s ambassador to Pakistan, representatives of local and Chinese pharmaceutical companies, federal ministers, special assistants, senior government officials and a large number of other participants, according to a press release issued by the Prime Minister’s Office.

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He said the agreements were signed between the private pharmaceutical sectors of Pakistan and China, including agreements on local production of vaccines, biotechnology, drug manufacturing, technology sharing and hepatitis prevention.

A cooperation agreement regarding the national protective vaccine program was also concluded during the conference.

Prime Minister Shehbaz described China as Pakistan’s “most trusted and trusted friend” and said China plays an important role in Pakistan’s economic development.

“China has supported Pakistan in all global forums, and $30 billion in investments have come under CPEC 1.0,” he said while thanking Chinese leaders for their unwavering support.

Prime Minister Shehbaz hailed Chinese President Xi Jinping as a “visionary leader” who “completely transformed Chinese society and economy.”

He said China’s economic and strategic development is “unprecedented” and praised the hard work and performance of the Chinese people in education, research, development and other sectors.

He also appreciated the efforts of business communities of both countries, Federal Minister of Health, Special Assistant on Industry and Production, Ambassador of China to Pakistan and Ambassador of Pakistan to China to enhance cooperation between the two nations.

Read more: PM praises B2B cooperation with China

Referring to the recent war between the United States and Iran, the prime minister said it had created great challenges for the world.

He said Pakistan had played an important mediating role between the United States and Iran, and friendly and brotherly countries, including China, had extended full cooperation.

The prime minister stated that President Xi Jinping had also extended his full support to the efforts.

Reiterating the importance of ties between Pakistan and China, the prime minister emphasized that the friendship between the two countries was “higher than the Himalayas, sweeter than honey and stronger than steel.”

Threat to Chinese security

The federal government said on Wednesday it was beefing up security around the Saindak copper and gold mine in Balochistan, after terrorist violence disrupted supply routes.

Minister of State for Home Affairs Talal Chaudhry had said the government had received security concerns from the mine operator in early July and had ordered agencies to increase deployment around its facilities, personnel and cargo.

“We have directed the provincial authorities and all concerned security agencies to strengthen the deployment of all their facilities, personnel, logistics and transportation,” Chaudhry had said. Reuters.

“Our priority is to safeguard all projects carried out by international companies in Pakistan,” he said, adding that logistics and cargo shipments to the site would receive additional security protection.

Balochistan, which borders Iran and Afghanistan, is home to several major Chinese-backed projects, including the Gwadar deep-sea port.

He Financial times reported that Saindak’s CEO had warned the Ministry of Energy that operations could become unsustainable within a month because deteriorating security conditions were disrupting supply routes.

The Saindak mine is operated by the state-owned China Metallurgical Corporation under a lease extended in 2022, and exports most of its production to China.

China’s Foreign Ministry said it was not aware of the situation but that Beijing would work with its close partner Pakistan to protect Chinese citizens, projects and institutions in the country.

One of the worst attacks against Chinese personnel occurred in July 2021, when a total of 10 Chinese nationals lost their lives and 26 others were injured in a suicide attack on a bus taking them to the Dasu Hydroelectric Project work site.

In March 2024, six people, including five Chinese engineers, were killed in a suicide attack in Besham, a remote area of ​​Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa province. Around the same time, a massive explosion on a road near Jinnah International Airport in Karachi killed three people, including two Chinese engineers, and injured at least 11 others.

The government established a Special Protection Unit exclusively for the safety of Chinese citizens in February this year, reiterating that their safety remained a top priority.