China-Pakistan friendship continuing to bear fruit

In the sun-warmed courtyard garden of Pakistan House, the official residence in Beijing of Pakistan's ambassador to China, mangos piled in baskets and stacked in crates glowed golden.

To the diplomats, officials, mango growers, and Chinese industry representatives gathered there on Thursday for a mango festival, Pakistani mangoes are more than a seasonal delicacy: they have ripened into the sweet fruit of China-Pakistan partnership.

At the Pakistan-China Silk Road Mango Festival, hosted by Pakistan's embassy in China, mangos were served fresh, and as a refreshing summer drink.

Guests said Pakistani mangos have become an integral part of China-Pakistan cultural and commercial cooperation, and also embody significant opportunities and potential for deeper collaboration.

"For Pakistanis, mango is more than a fruit. It carries the warmth of our summer, the fragrance of our orchards, the skill of our farmers and the memory of home," said Khalil Hashmi, Pakistan's ambassador to China. "When we share mangoes, we are sharing a part of our summer, our hospitality and our national story."

Pakistan ranks as the world's sixth-largest producer and fourth-largest exporter of mangos, with an annual output of about 1.7 million metric tons and average annual exports of 150,000 tons, according to the embassy.

Pakistani mangoes are known for their fragrance, texture, and depth of flavor, Hashmi said, stressing that "for China, they offer a high-quality seasonal product from a trusted friend and partner".

Since the two countries established diplomatic relations 75 years ago, their friendship "has been nurtured by mutual strategic trust at the leadership level, sustained by close institutional as well as practical cooperation, and strengthened by the goodwill of our peoples," Hashmi said.

The two countries now enjoy an all-weather strategic cooperative partnership.

Highlighting the role of mangos in bearing witness to growing bilateral ties, Chen Lei, secretary-general of the China Fruit Marketing Association, said "mango diplomacy" helped open a chapter of mutual understanding between the two nations during the last century, and, decades later, Pakistani mangoes have continued to enter millions of Chinese households within the frameworks of the Belt and Road Initiative and the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor.

The fruit "has become a solid bond connecting the cultures, trade, and livelihoods of the two countries," he added.

China, the world's largest consumer of fruit, imported more than 9.3 million tons of fruit in 2025, up 14.29 percent year-on-year, with demand for distinctive tropical fruits, including mango and durian, remaining strong, Chen said.

On Thursday, two memoranda of understanding on mango trade were signed at the festival.

Hao Yuejiao, president of the China-Asia-Africa Trade Promotion Office, said: "This will not only enrich the supply in the Chinese market, but also help Pakistani fruit growers increase their income and improve their livelihoods, thereby achieving mutual benefits and a win-win outcome for the people of both countries."

The evolution of Pakistan's mango trade with China has borne witness to the transition of agricultural cooperation, from sporadic exchange to a new phase marked by regularity, scale, and systemization, she added.

However, challenges remain for local mango growers.

Rana Muhammad Iqbal, a representative of Pakistan's mango growers, said between 30 percent and 40 percent of the country's fruit is lost because of orchard disease, traditional practices, and a shortage of modern cold-chain facilities.

"This not only wastes the hard work of farmers but also deprives Pakistan of billions of rupees in exports," he said. "If we combine Pakistan's best mango orchards with China's modern drone technology, disease control, smart agriculture, and food-processing machinery, then farmers' losses will move toward zero and our production will multiply."

He said Pakistan's quality fruits and China's advanced technology can together bring billions of dollars of business opportunities to the world.