PM Sharif visit reaffirms China-Pakistan iron brother tiesiron brother ties
Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif visited China this week, and the trip was presented as a reaffirmation of close ties between the two countries.
The editorial says the visit came as delicate negotiations continue to end the US-Iran war after a fragile ceasefire, which adds to the wider regional stakes.
South China Morning Post Editorial
The visit is framed as evidence that China and Pakistan are keeping their long-standing strategic partnership intact. It is also presented as timely because regional diplomacy remains unsettled and the ceasefire in the US-Iran war is still fragile.
- China and Pakistan first established diplomatic relations in 1951.
- Pakistan and China often describe their ties as among the closest in Asia.
- Shehbaz Sharif is the younger brother of former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif.
US-Iran Ceasefire War
The United States launched military strikes against Iran on June 26, 2026, in response to a drone attack on a commercial cargo ship in the Strait of Hormuz, calling it a "foolish violation" of the 60-day ceasefire agreement signed just days earlier[2][4][14].
26 June, 09:35 PM
US launches strikes against Iran following commercial ship attack26 June, 04:47 PM
Trump calls Iran drone attack on cargo ship a ceasefire violation
