Pakistan has urged China to simplify visa procedures to foster closer people-to-people contacts, state media reported on Wednesday, as both nations aim to strengthen economic and strategic cooperation under the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC).
Visa Facilitation Discussed at UN Meeting
The issue was raised by Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi during a meeting with China’s Vice Minister of Public Security Ling Zhifeng on the sidelines of the United Nations headquarters in New York on July 8, 2026. Naqvi emphasized that people-to-people exchanges are vital for advancing bilateral relations and called for a more relaxed visa regime to facilitate tourism, business travel, and educational exchanges.
China is Pakistan’s largest trading partner and primary source of foreign investment through CPEC, a flagship project of Beijing’s Belt and Road Initiative. CPEC has financed roads, energy projects, ports, and other infrastructure across Pakistan. Last year, Pakistan introduced visa-free entry for Chinese business travelers to encourage investment and trade, while Beijing has streamlined visa procedures for Pakistani citizens. However, ordinary Pakistani passport holders still generally require visas to enter China.
Security Cooperation and Counterterrorism
Naqvi and Ling reaffirmed their commitment to strengthening strategic cooperation and agreed to expand collaboration on counterterrorism, internal security, border management, combating illegal immigration, and counter-narcotics efforts. Naqvi noted that Pakistan had established a Special Protection Police Force to ensure the security of Chinese nationals working in Pakistan, highlighting the country’s keenness to deepen security cooperation with China.
Militant attacks on Chinese nationals remain a critical security challenge for Pakistan, largely driven by ethnic separatists in Balochistan province, where China is developing mega projects including the deep-sea port of Gwadar. Over the past five years, these attacks, often targeting CPEC projects, have claimed at least 20 Chinese lives.
