“I would like to say with fullest force at my command that the security of Chinese brothers and sisters in Pakistan is paramount for us, it is most important. And we will leave no stone unturned to provide them with the best possible security,” the prime minister said while addressing the Pakistan-China Pharmaceutical and Healthcare Business-to-Business Conference.

His remarks came as Pakistani and Chinese private companies signed nine agreements worth about $440 million in the pharmaceutical sector, a development the prime minister described as a major step towards strengthening bilateral economic cooperation and advancing the next phase of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC 2.0).

The prime minister said the agreements would help boost investment in pharmaceutical manufacturing, vaccine production, and research and development, enabling Pakistan to emerge as a regional hub for the production and export of life-saving medicines.

“I think this will ultimately result into manufacturing life-saving medicines, vaccines, research and development and become a center of excellence for exporting our wonderful products to neighboring countries,” he said.

PM Shehbaz said China had consistently stood by Pakistan during difficult times and had invested more than $30 billion under the first phase of CPEC. He described the latest agreements as another milestone in expanding bilateral economic cooperation.

Earlier, the prime minister witnessed the signing of the nine agreements between Pakistani and Chinese companies.

Congratulating entrepreneurs from both countries, Shehbaz praised the efforts of Health Minister Syed Mustafa Kamal, Special Assistant to the Prime Minister Haroon Akhtar Khan, Pakistan’s Ambassador to China Khalil Hashmi, Chinese Ambassador Jiang Zaidong, government institutions and business leaders for making the conference a success.

The prime minister also highlighted Pakistan’s role in promoting regional peace, saying Islamabad had played an important mediating role during the recent regional crisis with the support of friendly countries, particularly China.

He appreciated the contributions of President Xi Jinping, Premier Li Qiang and other Chinese leaders, while also acknowledging the efforts of Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir and Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar in diplomatic engagements.

Health Minister Kamal said the conference was held on the vision of PM Shehbaz, adding that weeks of intensive meetings had paved the way for the business-to-business engagements. He said Pakistan’s ambassador in Beijing had also played an important role in facilitating the initiative.

Kamal said Pakistan and China had enormous untapped potential for trade and investment in healthcare and other sectors. He said the government was taking measures to improve public access to quality healthcare and thanked Chinese companies for their participation and confidence in Pakistan’s pharmaceutical sector.

Chinese Ambassador Jiang Zaidong said Pakistan’s large and growing population had created significant demand for healthcare, making the country’s pharmaceutical sector an attractive destination for investment and cooperation. He said the embassy had worked as a bridge between enterprises of both countries to promote business partnerships.

The ambassador welcomed Pakistan’s improving economic indicators under Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s leadership and appreciated Islamabad’s constructive role in recent regional developments.

He expressed hope that Pakistan would continue providing a stable and secure environment for Chinese enterprises and noted the prime minister’s special focus on facilitating Chinese investment.

Haroon Akhtar said Pakistan was pursuing innovation-driven industrial growth under the leadership of PM Shehbaz, whose vision emphasised implementation, technology transfer and global competitiveness.

He said the prime minister’s recent visit to China had opened a new chapter in bilateral economic cooperation and created fresh opportunities for industrial collaboration.

Haroon Akhtar said pharmaceuticals, biotechnology and vaccine manufacturing had been identified as national industrial priorities, supported by reforms aimed at reducing bureaucracy and improving the investment climate.

He invited Chinese companies to partner with Pakistan in research, manufacturing and exports, saying the two countries could jointly serve regional and international markets through deeper industrial cooperation.