Sharif Heads to Beijing as China, Pakistan Push Middle East Mediation
Beijing-Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif will visit China from May 23 to 26 for talks with Chinese leaders, Beijing said on Thursday, as both countries intensify diplomatic efforts linked to the Middle East conflict triggered by U.S. and Israeli strikes on Iran.
China’s foreign ministry said Sharif’s meetings would focus on bilateral ties and regional issues, though it did not specify whether the Iran conflict would dominate discussions.
“The leaders of China and Pakistan will have an in-depth exchange of views on bilateral relations and issues of common concern,” Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Guo Jiakun told reporters in Beijing.
Guo said China would work with Pakistan to “make positive contributions to the early restoration of peace and stability in the Middle East,” adding that Beijing supported Islamabad’s “fair and balanced mediating role” aimed at ending the conflict.
Pakistan has emerged as an active intermediary between Washington and Tehran in recent weeks and hosted talks involving U.S. and Iranian officials last month. Pakistan’s army chief Asim Munir was also expected in Tehran on Thursday, according to Iranian media reports.
A ceasefire agreement reached on April 8 has paused direct hostilities in the region, although U.S. President Donald Trump warned on Wednesday that diplomatic efforts faced narrowing prospects.
China has maintained a lower-profile role in the crisis, facilitating calls and meetings with Gulf officials while urging regional de-escalation. Following talks with Chinese President Xi Jinping in Beijing last week, Trump said Xi had offered Chinese assistance in reopening the Strait of Hormuz, a critical global oil shipping route disrupted during the conflict.
Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi earlier this month urged Pakistan to intensify mediation efforts during a phone call with Pakistani Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar.
Sharif’s visit also comes as Beijing deepens strategic coordination with Islamabad amid broader geopolitical tensions across Asia and the Middle East.
