Strategic Dialogue Strengthens Bilateral Partnership
Pakistan and China on Thursday reiterated their unwavering resolve to upgrade the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) into a new phase of “high-quality development” during the sixth round of the Strategic Dialogue in Islamabad.
Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar and Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi co-chaired the meeting, which reviewed the full spectrum of bilateral ties and regional dynamics.
Dar emphasised, “We are heartened by Wang Yi’s vision for advancing our bilateral cooperation, especially upgrading CPEC to its next phase.”
CPEC 2.0: A Corridor of Growth and Prosperity
Wang Yi described CPEC as the “cornerstone” of Pakistan-China relations, noting the focus ahead is to turn it into “a growth corridor, livelihood-enhancing corridor, green corridor, and open corridor.”
He further explained, “We will work hard to deepen our industrial, agricultural, and mining cooperation to improve the Pakistani people’s welfare and accelerate Pakistan’s capability for self-sustained development and economic resilience.”
China also reaffirmed support for Gwadar Port’s development, the Karakoram Highway (KKH) realignment, and welcomed third-party participation in the ML-1 Railway Project.
Humanitarian Relief and Support for Pakistan
Addressing Pakistan’s recent flood devastation, Wang assured, “China will immediately provide emergency humanitarian assistance.”
Dar expressed gratitude, highlighting China’s consistent support for Pakistan’s sovereignty, territorial integrity, and national dignity.
Regional Peace and Counter-Terrorism Cooperation
Both ministers stressed the importance of trilateral cooperation with Afghanistan, aiming to extend CPEC and promote stability in the region.
Wang Yi praised Pakistan’s sacrifices against militancy, stating, “China highly commends Pakistan’s tireless efforts in combating terrorism as it firmly believes Pakistan’s counter-terrorism operation will secure victory.”
Upcoming Engagements and Diplomatic Milestones
Discussions also covered Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s upcoming visit to Beijing for the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Summit, where he will also meet President Xi Jinping.
Dar added that Pakistan and China will celebrate 75 years of diplomatic relations in 2026, marking the milestone with a series of joint events.
Concluding the dialogue, Wang Yi presented a framed picture to Dar, commemorating the solarisation of Pakistan’s Foreign Office, a project funded by a 2 million RMB grant from China’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
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