Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Qin Gang will visit Pakistan on May 5 and 6 and attend the China-Afghanistan-Pakistan Foreign Ministers' Dialogue in Pakistan, foreign ministry spokesperson Mao Ning announced on Thursday.

This will be Qin's first visit to Pakistan and an important part of the recent close and frequent interactions between the high levels of China and Pakistan, said Mao. During the visit, Qin will meet with the leader of Pakistan and co-chair the fourth round of China-Pakistan Foreign Ministers' Strategic Dialogue with Pakistani Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto Zardari.

The two sides will have in-person and in-depth communication on bilateral relations, and the international and regional situation, according to the spokesperson.

Mao said China and Pakistan are all-weather strategic cooperative partners and ironclad friends, and the friendship is time honored. China hopes that this visit will follow through on the important common understandings between the leaders of the two countries, further deepen strategic communication and practical cooperation, promote the building of an ever closer China-Pakistan community with a shared future in the new era, and contribute positive energy to the region and the wider world, according to the spokesperson.

Noting the people of Afghanistan are still faced with severe challenges at the moment and are in dire need of more support and help from the rest of the world, Mao said the international community need to step up contact and dialogue with the Afghan interim government, support its effort of reconstruction and development, and encourage it to build an inclusive government, exercise moderate governance, develop friendly relations with its neighbors and firmly fight terrorism.

China hopes to exchange views with Afghanistan and Pakistan on the situation in Afghanistan and tri-party cooperation at the China-Afghanistan-Pakistan Foreign Ministers' Dialogue, so as to build up consensus, consolidate mutual trust, and jointly contribute to peace, stability, development and prosperity in the region, the spokesperson added.