Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi arrived in Islamabad on Wednesday for a three-day official visit at the invitation of Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar, the Foreign Office confirmed.
Dar received Wang Yi at Nur Khan Airbase, where senior Pakistani officials and Chinese diplomats were present. The visiting dignitary was also welcomed by children in traditional attire who presented him with flowers.
Strategic Dialogue in Focus
During the visit, Islamabad will host the Sixth Pakistan–China Foreign Ministers’ Strategic Dialogue, co-chaired by Wang Yi and Ishaq Dar. The talks are expected to cover political, economic, and security cooperation, with both sides reaffirming their commitment to strengthening bilateral and regional ties.
Backdrop of Regional Engagements
Wang Yi’s trip follows the recent Trilateral Foreign Ministers’ Dialogue in Kabul, where Pakistan, China, and Afghanistan pledged to extend the China–Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) into Afghanistan. The extension, according to all three parties, will boost trade, transit, and development opportunities for Kabul, linking it to wider regional markets.
The joint statement from the Kabul meeting also highlighted commitments to counterterrorism, drug trafficking, and cooperation in health, education, culture, and connectivity.
Strengthening High-Level Ties
This visit precedes Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s planned trip to Beijing later this month for the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) summit, where he is expected to meet Chinese President Xi Jinping.
According to the Chinese Foreign Ministry, the visit aims to reinforce strategic coordination and expand practical partnerships, with Beijing reaffirming that Pakistan remains one of its closest allies. A spokesperson described both nations as “iron brothers”, underscoring their deepening cooperation on regional and global issues.
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