Pakistan’s top envoy to China, Ambassador Khalil Hashmi, undertook a productive visit to Shenyang, the capital of China’s northeastern Liaoning Province, from June 8 to 10, 2026. The primary purpose of the visit was to inaugurate the groundbreaking Pakistan-China Joint Research Centre at Shenyang University of Chemical Technology and to represent Pakistan at the 3rd Liaoning International Friendship Cities Conference.
According to a PID report today, during his visit, Ambassador Hashmi held detailed and productive meetings with provincial and city leaders to further expand economic, investment, educational, people-to-people, and technical training cooperation.
The interactions and meetings were held with Mr. Wang Xinwei, Governor of Liaoning Province; Mr. Zhou Bo, Chairman of the Liaoning Provincial CPPCC; and Mr. Zhao Wei, Vice Mayor of Shenyang. Discussions focused on expanding business-to-business, investment, and trade cooperation, particularly in fine chemicals, agriculture, minerals, information technology, and new materials. Both sides also welcomed progress toward the early signing of a sister-province agreement between Sindh and Liaoning, which would provide a new mechanism to promote practical cooperation at the sub-national level.
Noting the strong complementarities between Liaoning’s industrial strengths and Pakistan’s development priorities under CPEC 2.0, Ambassador Hashmi invited Liaoning-based pharmaceutical, biotechnology, and healthcare enterprises to participate in the Pakistan-China B2B Investment Conference, which will be held in Karachi on July 17-18, 2026. He also highlighted the opportunities offered by Pakistan’s Special Economic Zones for Chinese investors seeking to expand production and access regional markets.
A key highlight of the visit was the inauguration of the China-Pakistan Joint Research Centre at Shenyang University of Chemical Technology (SYUCT). Established as a result of an initiative taken by Ambassador Hashmi last year, followed by sustained engagement between academic and research institutions in Pakistan and China, the Centre will serve as a platform for joint research, talent development, academic exchanges, and industry-academia collaboration in emerging areas of chemical science and technology.
The Centre brings together SYUCT and leading Pakistani institutions, including the Pakistan Institute of Engineering and Applied Sciences (PIEAS), Islamabad; NED University of Engineering and Technology, Karachi; and the University of Engineering and Technology, Peshawar. It will work jointly to strengthen cooperation in chemical engineering, advanced materials, and applied technologies while fostering the next generation of scientific talent in both countries.
During his visit to SYUCT, the Ambassador and his delegation toured the Key Laboratory of Resource Chemical Engineering and Materials and the Research Institute of Strategic Materials and Components. The visit provided first-hand exposure to the university’s research and innovation ecosystem. He also interacted with Pakistani students enrolled at the university and encouraged them to pursue academic excellence and contribute to strengthening Pakistan-China ties through knowledge, innovation, and cultural understanding.
The Ambassador also participated in the 3rd Liaoning International Friendship Cities Conference, which brought together representatives from Liaoning’s extensive network of international partners. Liaoning has established friendship relations with 96 cities and regions across 32 countries, including the sister-city relationship between Karachi and Shenyang. The province’s ongoing transition toward green development, advanced manufacturing, and emerging technologies presents significant opportunities for enhanced collaboration with Pakistan.
The visit reflected the growing momentum in Pakistan-Liaoning relations and underscored the shared commitment of both sides to deepening cooperation across industry, innovation, education, and people-to-people exchanges.