Pakistan and China reaffirmed their unwavering commitment to the high quality development of the Chinese-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) improved during the sixth strategic dialogue between the Vice Prime Minister and the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ishaq Dar, and the Minister of Foreign Affairs Chinese Chinese Wang Yi.
Pakistan and China share a long -standing strategic association with ties that go in different sectors, including trade, energy, defense and infrastructure. The fifth round of strategic dialogue in May 2024 was co -chaired by the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ishaq Dar, and his Chinese counterpart Wang in Beijing. The Chinese Foreign Minister is currently on a visit to Pakistan.
The two parties reviewed the entire range of Pakistan-China relationships and discussed important regional and global problems. They also exchanged in -depth views of multiple facets of bilateral cooperation, including CPEC 2.0, commercial and economic relations, multilateral cooperation and people’s ties to people.
Underlining the “Strategic Cooperative Association for every climate between Pakistan and China”, both officials agreed that their friendship was significant to maintain regional peace and stability and indispensable for its progress and prosperity. They also agreed to continue with close coordination and communication, both bilaterally and in multilateral forums.
Going to a joint press conference after their meeting, FM gave their conversations as “fruitful” while the two leaders discussed several issues of mutual interest.
“We made fruitful and substantive discussions today that cover various areas of mutual interest,” said Dar.
He continued: “We made a balance of progress achieved since the last round of strategic dialogue. We also exchanged views on the entire range of Pakistan-China relations, including CPEC, trade and investment, science and technology and cooperation of people to people.”
“The important developments related to our region and the world in general were also reviewed,” he said, adding that both parties enjoyed “complete unanimity of use and consensus on all important issues.”
Dar also mentioned the trilateral meeting with FM Afghano Amir Khan Muttaqi, stating: “Recently, our two countries have worked together to establish trilateral associations with other countries in the region.
“These mechanisms mean our joint resolution of promoting regional peace, stability and prosperity, and sharing the dividends of Pak-China’s friendship with other countries in the region and beyond.”
In addition, he said: “We also discuss the preparations for the next visit of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif to China. The Prime Minister will attend the Council of the Summit of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization of the Summit of the Heads of the States and will also meet with the highest Chinese leadership, including President Xi Jinping and the first minister Li Qiang.”
He announced that the B2B investment conference of Pak-China will also be organized during the visit of the Prime Minister to China.
Wang described CPEC as Pakistan’s cornerstone and China’s strategic association, stating that the current priority was to advance the development of the corridor.
He said that during the sixth strategic dialogue, both parties agreed to update CPEC in “a growth corridor, runner that improves the livelihoods, the green corridor and the open corridor.”
“We will work hard to deepen our cooperation of industrial agriculture and mining to improve the well -being of the Pakistani people, accelerate Pakistan’s ability to self -sufficient development and increase Pakistan’s economic resilience,” Wang said.
He added that China was also supporting the development and operation of the Gwadar port and promoting the Karakoram road realignment project.
Wang also welcomed the participation of third parties in the ML-1 rail project (main line).
In addition, China’s main diplomat said that Beijing would welcome Prime Minister Shehbaz for the next summit of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) in Tianjin at the end of this month.
“The two parties will prepare together and guarantee the success of the series of activities for the 75th anniversary of China-Pakistan diplomatic relations next year,” he said.
Wang also extended its condolences for lost lives in recent floods, ensuring that Beijing “would immediately provide emergency humanitarian assistance.”
The Chinese Foreign Minister also praised the role of Pakistan in combating terrorism, stating that Islamabad was “effectively protecting the safety of Chinese personnel and institutions” in the country.
“China praises highly Pakistan’s tireless efforts to combat terrorism, since it firmly believes that Pakistan’s anti -terrorism operation will ensure victory,” Wang said.
In response to a question about China’s relations with India, Wang declared that the association “would not affect any third party.”
Wang arrived at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs today, to attend the sixth strategic dialogue between China and Pakistan, where FM Dar received it.
Wang had arrived in Islamabad last night, where Dar received it.
“Happy to receive my dear friend, he Wang Yi, Minister of Foreign Affairs, China, in Pakistan tonight,” he wrote to social networks yesterday.
He added: “I look forward to productive discussions tomorrow in our dialogue, and with leadership during his calls to President Asif Ali Zardari and Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif.”
A day before, the sixth dialogue of the trilateral foreign ministers took place in Kabul between Dar, Wang and the Afghan counterpart Muttaqi on the issues of political, economic and security cooperation.
“The three parties promised to strengthen the joint efforts against terrorism,” the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said. “They also reaffirmed their commitment to deepen collaboration in commerce, traffic, regional development, health, education, culture and the combination of drug trafficking, as well as the extension of CPEC to Afghanistan.”
Last month, Pakistan and China agreed to launch joint training programs in multiple fields, including construction engineering, artificial intelligence, agriculture management and hospitality, under the second phase of the Chinese-Pakistan economic corridor (CPEC-II).
Prime Minister Shehbaz is expected to travel to Beijing at the end of this month to attend the SCO Summit from August 31 to September 1. On the margin, it is also expected to meet Chinese President Xi Jinping and Russian leader Vladimir Putin.
Earlier this week, the Government announced that this next visit will mark the formal launch of CPEC-II, focused on industrial cooperation, after a delay of approximately five years.
