Pakistan seeks stronger AI cooperation with China to boost technology and development

Summary

Pakistan has expressed interest in expanding cooperation with China in artificial intelligence and emerging technologies. Ambassador Khalil Hashmi said collaboration could help developing countries benefit from advanced technologies in sectors such as healthcare, agriculture and education.

Key Points

• Pakistan seeks stronger AI and technology cooperation with China.
• China leads globally in AI patent filings and innovation.
• Potential collaboration areas include medical AI, biotechnology and pharmaceuticals.
• Pakistan and China plan a joint smart agriculture laboratory.
• Nearly $4.5 billion in agriculture agreements signed during a recent investment conference.

Detailed Article

Pakistan has expressed interest in expanding cooperation with China in the field of artificial intelligence (AI) and emerging technologies, highlighting the potential benefits for developing countries.

Pakistan’s Ambassador to China Khalil Hashmi said Chinese technological advances, particularly in artificial intelligence, could open new opportunities for collaboration between Islamabad and Beijing.

Speaking in an interview with China Economic Net (CEN) on the sidelines of China’s ongoing political meetings known as the “Two Sessions,” Hashmi said China’s progress in AI reflects strong indigenous innovation and technological creativity.

He noted that China has become a major global player in artificial intelligence. According to the World Intellectual Property Organisation, China was the largest source of patent filings in 2024.

Data from Stanford University’s 2025 AI Index also shows that China accounted for 69.7 percent of global AI patent grants in 2023.

Hashmi said global competition among AI technologies developed in China, the United States and other countries should be viewed as a positive development.

He explained that such competition could help improve research standards, strengthen technological capabilities and support economic growth worldwide.

Artificial intelligence, he added, is a cross-sector technology with applications in fields such as education, agriculture, transport and sustainable development.

The ambassador highlighted medical AI, pharmaceuticals and biotechnology as key sectors where Pakistan and China could deepen cooperation.

He said joint research and development could help developing countries gain access to more affordable diagnostic and treatment technologies, improving healthcare systems.

Pakistan’s population exceeded 255 million in 2025, according to the United Nations Population Fund, making technological solutions in healthcare increasingly important.

Hashmi also pointed to recent progress in medical technology cooperation.

In November 2025, doctors at the Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (PIMS) performed Islamabad’s first robotic adrenalectomy using China’s Toumai surgical robot, demonstrating the potential of advanced medical technology in Pakistan.

“I think the potential is great,” Hashmi said, encouraging Pakistani doctors and researchers to work closely with Chinese counterparts to develop AI-based healthcare solutions.

The ambassador also emphasized expanding cooperation in agricultural technology.

Pakistan and China are currently working to establish a joint laboratory for smart and digital agriculture, which will focus on using AI to improve productivity in crops, livestock, fruits and vegetables.

Artificial intelligence could also help improve cold-chain logistics, agricultural supply management and food security.

Hashmi noted that cooperation in agriculture is already growing. In January 2026, the Pakistan-China B2B Agriculture Investment Conference resulted in nearly 80 memorandums of understanding and agreements worth about $4.5 billion between companies from the two countries.

According to the ambassador, collaboration between Pakistan and China is expanding across multiple areas including education, research and development, commercial partnerships and technological innovation.