Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Mohammad Ishaq Dar embarked on a four-day visit to Beijing to co-chair the Fifth Pakistan-China Foreign Ministers’ Strategic Dialogue with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi.
Upon his arrival, Dar was warmly received by Director General Ambassador Wang Fu Kang and Pakistan’s Ambassador to China Khalil Hashmi.
During the strategic dialogue, both sides will conduct a comprehensive review of bilateral relations, focusing on economic and trade cooperation, high-level exchanges, and the progress of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) and future connectivity initiatives, along with discussing the geopolitical situation.
On the sidelines of the dialogue, Dar is expected to engage with Chinese leaders, senior ministers, and corporate executives.
The visit underscores the significance of regular high-level exchanges between Pakistan and China, emphasizing the deepening of their “All-Weather Strategic Cooperative Partnership.” It reaffirms mutual support on core interest issues, aims to enhance economic and trade cooperation, particularly within the framework of CPEC, and strengthens the joint commitment to regional peace and development.
The Chinese Foreign Ministry has expressed anticipation for Dar’s visit, highlighting its importance in institutional exchanges between the two countries’ foreign ministries. The visit is seen as an opportunity to further implement important consensus reached by the leaders of both nations. Dar will hold the fifth round of the Foreign Minister-Level China-Pakistan Strategic Dialogue during his stay.
In another development, Pakistan and China have agreed to expedite the implementation of projects under CPEC across various sectors. Minister for Planning and Development Ahsan Iqbal met with Vice Chairman of China’s National Development and Reform Commission, Zhao Chenxin, in Beijing. Both sides have resolved to prioritize cooperation in areas such as artificial intelligence, agriculture modernization, and infrastructure development, including road and highway projects. They also discussed enhancing connectivity at Gwadar port and agreed to hold the next round of CPEC’s Joint Coordination Committee before the prime minister’s upcoming visit to China.
