- Foreign minister also exchanges views with counterparts from Iran, Uzbekistan, Russia and Belarus on sidelines of CFM meeting
- Reiterates resolve to deepen enduring friendship with China and other SCO member states
BEIJING: Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar met Chinese President Xi Jinping as he represented Pakistan at the joint call on the foreign ministers of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) member states in Beijing on Tuesday.
“Delighted to meet earlier today with President Xi Jinping at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing. Conveyed the warm greetings of the leadership, government, and people of Pakistan,” FM Dar said in a post on X.
“As ironclad brothers and all-weather strategic cooperative partners, we remain committed to deepening Pakistan-China enduring friendship and advancing shared regional goals,” he added.
The high-level interaction comes as the SCO Council of Foreign Ministers (CFM) is convening in Beijing with representatives from Pakistan, China, Belarus, India, Iran, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Russia, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan in attendance.
The CFM is the third-highest forum in the SCO format. It focuses on the issues of international relations, as well as foreign and security policies.
Deputy Prime Minister / Foreign Minister @MIshaqDar50 departed Diaoyutai State Guest House and arrived at the Great Hall, Beijing for the SCO Foreign Ministers’ Group Meeting with President Xi Jinping of the People’s Republic of China. pic.twitter.com/LZ3y36Jp8N
— Ministry of Foreign Affairs – Pakistan (@ForeignOfficePk) July 15, 2025
The forum also approves the documents, including declarations and statements, etc, that are to be presented for the consideration of the Council of Heads of State as well as the decisions to be adopted by the CHS.
Meanwhile, the Chinese president, welcoming the heads of delegations, underlined the salience of regional cooperation under the ambit of SCO, an organization covering the Eurasian landmass and a large expanse of the world’s population.
Apart from his interaction with President Xi, FM Dar also met Kulubaev Zheenbek Moldokanovic, his counterpart from Kyrgyzstan, on the sidelines, where both leaders reaffirmed their commitment to the longstanding bilateral relationship and to enhancing collaboration across all areas of mutual interest.
Pleased to meet Brother Foreign Minister of Kyrgyzstan, Kulubaev Zheenbek Moldokanovic, at the Great Hall in Beijing on the margins of the meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping.
Reaffirmed our commitment to the longstanding bilateral relationship and to enhancing… pic.twitter.com/qnh1cc8r30
— Ishaq Dar (@MIshaqDar50) July 15, 2025
Furthermore, Dar also met his Kazakh counterpart, Murat Nurtleu wherein both sides reiterated their resolve to deepen Pakistan-Kazakhstan bilateral ties and to expand collaboration across regional and multilateral fora.
In addition to this, Pakistan’s FM also interacted with the foreign ministers of Uzbekistan and Belarus on the sidelines of the SCO CFM.
“Always good to exchange views for strengthening regional understanding and cooperation in such a challenging time,” said Dar.
The Deputy PM also met Foreign Minister of Russia, Sergei Lavrov and expressed satisfaction over the positive trajectory of bilateral ties. During the meeting, both leaders agreed to further enhance cooperation in trade, energy, agriculture, and defense, a DPM’s Office news release said.
He also held a bilateral meeting with Iranian Foreign Minister Seyyed Abbas Araghchi on the sidelines of the SCO Council of Foreign Ministers (CFM).
Good to catch up with Foreign Ministers of Iran, Uzbekistan, and Belarus on the sidelines of the SCO CFM in Beijing, just before our joint call on Chinese President Xi at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing. Always good to exchange views for strengthening regional… pic.twitter.com/i3UBLhhXzt
— Ishaq Dar (@MIshaqDar50) July 15, 2025
During the meeting, the two leaders reviewed the state of bilateral cooperation between Pakistan and Iran across various sectors and exchanged views on the evolving regional situation in the wake of recent Israeli aggression against Iran, a DPM’s Office news release said.
Senator Ishaq Dar reaffirmed Pakistan’s unwavering solidarity with the people and government of Iran and underscored Pakistan’s principled commitment to regional peace and stability. He emphasized that dialogue and diplomacy must remain the only viable path toward de-escalation and achieving lasting peace in the region.
