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Pakistan Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar departed for Beijing on Saturday to co-chair the seventh round of the Pakistan-China Foreign Ministers' Strategic Dialogue, scheduled for January 4, according to the Foreign Office (FO).
In an official statement, the FO said that Dar is visiting China at the invitation of Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi, noting that he will be the first foreign dignitary to travel to China in 2026. The strategic dialogue will be jointly chaired by Dar and Wang Yi. The Foreign Office stated that the upcoming dialogue will comprehensively review bilateral relations between Pakistan and China, explore opportunities for expanding cooperation, and chart new avenues for partnership. The talks are expected to further strengthen the two countries' "all-weather strategic cooperative partnership," which has long been described as a cornerstone of regional diplomacy, reported Dawn. Earlier, the FO had described the Pakistan-China Foreign Ministers' Strategic Dialogue as the highest-level consultative forum between the two countries. The mechanism provides a structured platform to assess the full range of bilateral cooperation, while also enabling discussions on regional and global developments of shared interest. During the dialogue, the two sides are expected to unveil a number of initiatives and commemorative programmes to mark the 75th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between Pakistan and China. The anniversary is seen as a milestone reflecting decades of close political, economic and strategic ties, as reported by Dawn. The FO added that Dar's visit is part of the regular high-level exchanges between Islamabad and Beijing and underscores the shared resolve of both countries to further broaden and deepen their partnership. The visit also reaffirms the mutual commitment of Pakistan and China to promoting regional peace, stability and sustainable development. The previous, sixth round of the Strategic Dialogue took place in Islamabad in August last year. During that visit, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi held meetings with Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, President Asif Ali Zardari and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar. At that time, China reiterated its strong support for Pakistan and reaffirmed its commitment to working closely with Islamabad to advance regional peace, development and long-term stability. (ANI)
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