Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi, who is currently on an official visit to Pakistan, met Chief of Army Staff (COAS) Field Marshal Asim Munir in Islamabad on Friday, the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) said in a statement. They vowed to crush terrorism and strengthen the bilateral security of the two countries.
According to the ISPR, the discussions focused on regional security, counter-terrorism, and matters of mutual interest. Both sides reaffirmed their determination to further consolidate the “all-weather strategic partnership” and strengthen coordination on regional and international forums.
During the meeting, FM Wang Yi reiterated China’s unwavering support for Pakistan’s sovereignty and development, while COAS Asim Munir expressed gratitude for Beijing’s consistent and long-standing support. “The meeting concluded with a shared commitment to advance peace, stability, and prosperity in the region,” the statement noted.
Broader Diplomatic Engagements
Wang Yi’s meeting with the army chief came a day after he held high-level discussions with Pakistan’s top leadership, including Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, President Asif Ali Zardari, and Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar.
On Thursday, Pakistan and China held the 6th round of Strategic Dialogue, co-chaired by Wang Yi and Ishaq Dar. Both sides reviewed the full spectrum of bilateral relations and exchanged in-depth views on regional and global issues. The agenda included CPEC Phase-II, trade and economic cooperation, multilateral engagement, and enhanced people-to-people ties.
CPEC 2.0: A New Phase of Cooperation
At a joint press interaction, FM Dar underlined that Pakistan and China maintain complete consensus on all major bilateral, regional, and global matters. “We are heartened by Wang Yi’s vision for advancing our bilateral cooperation, particularly in upgrading CPEC to its next phase,” he said.
Wang Yi described the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) as the “cornerstone of the strategic partnership” and emphasized the priority of advancing its high-quality development. He explained that under the new vision, CPEC would be transformed into a “growth corridor, livelihood-enhancing corridor, green corridor, and open corridor.”
Highlighting the way forward, the Chinese foreign minister said the two countries would deepen cooperation in industry, agriculture, and mining to boost Pakistan’s economic resilience and improve people’s welfare. He reaffirmed China’s support for the development and operation of Gwadar Port, the Karakoram Highway (KKH) realignment project, and also welcomed third-party participation in the Main Line-1 (ML-1) railway project.
Wang Yi’s visit has further reinforced the ironclad Pakistan-China partnership, with both sides committing to deepen cooperation across security, economy, and connectivity while working together for regional peace and stability.
