ISLAMABAD: Reaffirming that Pakistan and China are all-weather strategic cooperative partners, President Asif Ali Zardari has underlined that friendship with China remains the cornerstone of Pakistan’s foreign policy, enjoying broad public and institutional support.
He met Feng Fei, party secretary of Hainan in Sanya, China on Thursday. Hainan Governor Liu Xiaoming and Party Secretary of Sanya Wang Qiyang were present during the meeting. The interaction focused on deepening economic cooperation, expanding trade links and strengthening people-to-people exchanges between Pakistan and Hainan. The president appreciated the warm welcome and hospitality extended by the government of Hainan and noted the province’s transformation into a gateway for international trade and investment. He noted that the year marks the 75th anniversary of diplomatic relations between the two countries and welcomed the ongoing commemorative activities as a means to further strengthen bilateral ties and open new avenues of cooperation.
The president observed that Hainan’s progress in tourism, high-tech industry and tropical agriculture offers practical opportunities for collaboration. He asked for greater engagement between Hainan’s enterprises and Pakistan’s industrial and export sectors to enhance bilateral trade. He emphasised the importance of people-to-people contacts, noting the participation of Pakistani athletes in the Sixth Asian Beach Games in Sanya as a positive step. He expressed Pakistan’s interest in expanding cooperation with China, particularly with Hainan, in the fields of tropical agriculture, port development, seed technology and fisheries. He noted that Pakistani and Chinese civilisations have interacted over centuries and expressed confidence that both countries will continue to develop and prosper together in the years ahead.
He said his family shares a longstanding connection with China spanning three generations, from his late father-in-law Zulfikar Ali Bhutto and Benazir Bhutto to his son Bilawal Bhutto Zardari and daughter Aseefa Bhutto Zardari. The two sides exchanged views on regional and international developments and reaffirmed their shared commitment to peace, stability, dialogue and cooperation.
Feng Fei welcomed the president and his delegation and expressed appreciation for Pakistan’s longstanding friendship with China. He highlighted Hainan’s development as a Free Trade Port and its growing role in global trade and investment. He noted that since the launch of special customs operations in December 2025, the number of foreign investors and the value of imported goods in Hainan has increased significantly, in the first quarter of this year, making Hainan one of the most open regions in China. He said trade between Pakistan and Hainan has nearly doubled during the same period.
He noted that more than 500 Pakistani students are currently studying in various universities across Hainan and described the president’s visit, coinciding with the 75th anniversary of diplomatic relations between the two countries, as particularly significant. He highlighted that China’s largest seed breeding laboratory is located in Hainan, employing advanced technologies including biotechnology and artificial intelligence and noted the potential for cooperation with Pakistan in this field. He conveyed China’s willingness to further strengthen the all-weather strategic partnership between the two countries across a range of areas.
