Chinese President Xi Jinping met with Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif in Beijing on Monday (May 25, 2026), state media reported, as diplomatic efforts by several countries to formally end the Iran war drag on.

The high-level meeting, reported by state news agency Xinhua, followed Mr. Sharif’s talks earlier in the day with Premier Li Qiang, the country’s number-two leader.

Mr. Sharif is accompanied on his trip to China by Army Chief Asim Munir, Islamabad’s key negotiator between the United States and Iran, Pakistan television showed on Monday (May 25, 2026).

Pakistan has emerged as a central mediator between the United States and Iran, hosting historic face-to-face talks last month that failed to yield a lasting agreement.

China has played a quieter role, shepherding phone calls and meetings with officials of affected Gulf countries.

Speaking to Chinese leaders in Beijing alongside Mr. Munir, Mr. Sharif said “the world is passing through a critical moment”, Pakistan’s state-run PTV channel showed.

“Pakistan has played a sincere role to mediate between U.S. and Iran. Field marshal was in Tehran and did not want to miss this great visit,” Mr. Sharif said.

“Things are moving in the right direction. I would like to thank China’s support to promote peace.”

Mr. Sharif kicked off his four-day official visit to China in Hangzhou in eastern Zhejiang province on Saturday (May 23, 2026).

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It follows a visit by Mr. Munir to Tehran on Friday (May 22, 2026) and Saturday (May 23, 2026) alongside Pakistan’s Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi as part of ongoing mediation efforts to end the war.

China has said it would work with Pakistan to “make positive contributions to the early restoration of peace and stability in the Middle East”.

Pakistan hosted in April the only direct negotiations between U.S. and Iranian officials to take place since the war began.

Mr. Munir was at the centre of the action during that round of talks, greeting both delegations on their arrival and displaying bonhomie with U.S. Vice President J.D. Vance.

But the talks ultimately failed, with Iran accusing the United States of making “excessive demands”.

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Saturday (May 23, 2026) departed for Hangzhou, China, in the first phase of his four-day visit to promote ties with Beijing and celebrate the 75th anniversary of diplomatic ties.

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Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Muhammad Ishaq Dar, Minister of Planning Ahsan Iqbal, Minister of Information and Broadcasting Attaullah Tarar, Minister of IT Shaza Fatima Khawaja, and Special Assistant Tariq Fatemi accompanied the Prime Minister, according to a statement by the PMO.

The Prime Minister will meet with the Party Secretary of Zhejiang Province in Hangzhou and will “participate in a business forum held to promote cooperation between Pakistani and Chinese companies under CPEC Phase 2 and attend the ceremony for the exchange of agreements and memorandums of understanding”.

Additionally, the Prime Minister will hold meetings with CEOs of prominent Chinese companies.

He will also visit the headquarters of the Chinese company Alibaba and participate in the signing ceremony of memoranda of understanding on cooperation.

Thereafter, the Prime Minister will depart for a visit to Beijing, where he will hold meetings with Chinese President Xi Jinping and Premier Li Qiang.

The Prime Minister will also participate in an event held to mark the 75th anniversary of Pakistan-China diplomatic relations.

He will also hold meetings with heads of prominent Chinese companies. The Prime Minister will also visit the China Academy of Agricultural Sciences (CAAS).

The Prime Minister’s visit to China will add new dimensions to Pakistan-China relations, particularly including enhanced cooperation with Pakistani and Chinese companies under CPEC Phase 2.

Earlier, the foreign office said on Friday (May 22) that the Prime Minister will pay his official visit to China from May 23 to 26.