BEIJING: Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar on Saturday arrived in Beijing to co-chair the seventh round of the Pakistan-China Foreign Ministers’ Strategic Dialogue, scheduled for January 4, the Foreign Office (FO) said.
In an earlier statement, the FO noted that Dar is the first foreign dignitary to visit China in 2026, at the invitation of Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi, with whom he will jointly lead the dialogue.
According to an FO post on X, Dar was received at the airport by China’s Special Representative on Afghanistan, Ambassador Yue Xiaoyong, along with Pakistan’s ambassador to China and officials from the Pakistani Embassy.
The FO said Dar will also attend events marking the start of the 75th year of Pakistan-China diplomatic relations, with both sides planning a series of initiatives and commemorative activities throughout 2026.
The dialogue will review the full spectrum of bilateral cooperation, explore new areas of partnership and further strengthen the all-weather strategic cooperative partnership between Pakistan and China, the FO said.
Describing the mechanism as the highest level of bilateral consultation, the FO added that the talks would also cover regional and international developments of mutual interest. The two foreign ministers are expected to announce initiatives to mark the 75th anniversary of diplomatic ties.
The FO said the visit underscores regular high-level exchanges between the two countries and reflects their shared resolve to deepen cooperation while reaffirming commitments to regional peace, stability and sustainable development.
The previous round of the strategic dialogue was held in Islamabad in August, when Wang Yi met Dar, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and President Asif Ali Zardari, and reaffirmed China’s support for promoting regional peace, development and stability in cooperation with Pakistan.
