Islamabad, April 22, 2025: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Tuesday reaffirmed Pakistan’s commitment to strengthening cooperation with China in space technology, satellite communications, and internet services.
The remarks came during a high-level meeting with a delegation from Chinese aerospace company Galaxy Space, led by Chairman Xu Ming. Prime Minister Sharif described China as a “trusted friend” and “strategic partner,” emphasizing Pakistan’s strong interest in developing its space and telecommunication sectors.
The Chinese delegation expressed a keen interest in investing in Pakistan’s growing space industry. Discussions focused on potential joint ventures with the national space agency SUPARCO and partnerships with local telecommunications firms.
Productive talks were also held with officials from the Ministry of Information Technology and Telecommunication. Federal ministers Ahad Khan Cheema and Shaza Fatima Khawaja, along with Prime Minister’s Advisor Dr. Tauqir Shah, were present at the meeting.
This renewed interest in space collaboration follows a major milestone achieved last year, when Pakistan launched its first lunar satellite in partnership with China. The ICUBE-Q CubeSat — developed by the Institute of Space Technology (IST) with support from SUPARCO and Shanghai Jiao Tong University — successfully entered lunar orbit aboard China’s Chang’e-6 mission. The 7kg satellite is equipped with cameras and sensors for imaging and deep-space communication.
