Pakistan and China have reaffirmed their commitment to deepening strategic cooperation by pledging joint support for the development and operations of Gwadar Port and advancing the Karakoram Highway realignment project. China has also welcomed third-party participation in the ML-1 railway project, signaling broader regional collaboration.
The announcement came after Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Senator Mohammad Ishaq Dar and Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi co-chaired the 6th round of Foreign Ministers’ Strategic Dialogue in Islamabad. According to the Foreign Office, the two leaders reviewed the full spectrum of Pakistan-China relations and discussed key regional and global developments. Areas of focus included CPEC 2.0, trade and investment, multilateral cooperation, and people-to-people exchanges.
At a joint media briefing, Wang Yi emphasized that the foremost priority for both countries is the high-quality development of an upgraded version of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor, adding that future projects will build on past achievements with the creation of more economic corridors. He also expressed sympathies over recent flood devastation in Pakistan and pledged immediate emergency humanitarian assistance for victims.
The Chinese foreign minister praised Pakistan’s counterterrorism efforts and vowed to work jointly to defeat terrorism, underscoring that close coordination between Beijing and Islamabad remains vital amid evolving South Asian dynamics.
Senator Ishaq Dar described the talks as “productive and substantive”, confirming that preparations are underway for Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s upcoming vist to China, where he will attend the SCO Summit and hold meetings with top Chinese leadership.
