Pak Army Chief Asim Munir meets China’s President Xi for the first time as Field Marshal – What we know

Asim Munir is part of Sharif’s delegation, which participated in the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) summit in Tianjin and will attend a grand parade of the Chinese army to be held here on Wednesday to commemorate the 80th anniversary of the Chinese People’s War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression.

What happened during Munir-Xi Jinping meeting?

Pakistan’s Army Chief, Field Marshal Asim Munir, held his first formal meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping on Tuesday, alongside Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif. 

The discussions, described as wide-ranging, focused on bilateral ties, regional cooperation, and strategic developments, according to Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar.

Asim Munir, who assumed the role of Field Marshal earlier this year, accompanied PM Sharif to the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) summit in Tianjin. 

Why is this meeting significant?

This marks Asim Munir’s first engagement with President Xi Jinping, differentiating him from his predecessor, General Qamar Javed Bajwa, who met Xi during his tenure. 

The visit follows Asim Munir’s high-profile engagement with US President Donald Trump, a move that had drawn attention in China, given the enduring “all-weather” partnership between Pakistan and China.

The SCO summit in Tianjin provided the forum for Pakistan PM Sharif to meet President Xi Jinping in Beijing, with the Prime Minister praising Xi’s Global Governance Initiative (GGI) and emphasising Pakistan’s commitment to regional peace, development, and the security of Chinese personnel and projects in Pakistan.

What were the key takeaways from Xi Jinping- Munir meeting?

President Xi highlighted the accelerating pace of global changes and underscored that a robust China-Pakistan relationship is vital for safeguarding regional stability. 

He called for accelerating the development of an upgraded China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) and the China-Pakistan Free Trade Agreement, aiming to deliver tangible benefits to both nations.

Shahbaz Sharif reaffirmed Pakistan’s adherence to the one-China principle, pledged full support for Chinese projects and personnel in Pakistan, and expressed Islamabad’s intention to actively implement the next phase of CPEC, which will include five new economic corridors.

Why is the parade in China significant?

The Chinese military will showcase its most modern weapons across aerial, ground, electronic, and missile systems during the parade. The demonstration is of particular interest to Pakistan, which sources over 80% of its weapons from China. Munir is expected to witness the parade alongside Sharif, underlining military and strategic ties.

Pakistan PM Sharif Meets Russian President Vladimir Putin

During the SCO summit, PM Shehbaz Sharif also held talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin.

During the meeting Pakistan PM Sharif highlighted Islamabad’s respect for Moscow’s relations with New Delhi and expressed Pakistan’s desire to strengthen bilateral relations with Russia, describing them as “supplementary and complementary to the progress and prosperity of the region.”