Chinese, Pakistani foreign ministers' meeting to focus on deepening ties, safeguarding regional security

Pakistan's Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar started his China visit on Saturday, which will last until January 5. During his visit to China, the seventh round of the China–Pakistan strategic dialogue between foreign ministers will be held.

The visit comes amid intensified high-level exchanges and reflects the growing depth of strategic coordination between the two countries. In 2025, Pakistani President Asif Ali Zardari and Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif visited China successively. In August, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi, also a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, visited Pakistan and co-chaired the sixth round of the China–Pakistan Foreign Ministers' Strategic Dialogue.

Now, less than a year later, Pakistan's foreign minister is set to begin a new visit to China, underscoring the "ironclad friendship" between the two nations.

Pakistan was among the first countries to recognize the People's Republic of China, with diplomatic relations established on May 21, 1951. Over the decades, the two sides have consistently supported each other, steadily deepening strategic mutual trust and practical cooperation.

During his visit to Pakistan last year, Wang Yi described the China–Pakistan all-weather strategic cooperative partnership as unbreakable, stressing that bilateral cooperation is vital to both countries' development and to regional peace and stability.

Economic cooperation remains a central pillar

Economic and trade cooperation continues to anchor China–Pakistan relations. The two countries signed a free trade agreement in 2006, which entered into force in July 2007. China became Pakistan's largest trading partner in 2014. According to China's General Administration of Customs, bilateral trade reached $23.06 billion in 2024, up 11.1 percent year on year.

At the core of economic cooperation is the China–Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), a flagship bilateral project and a key component of the Belt and Road Initiative. Launched in 2013, CPEC focuses on Gwadar Port, transport infrastructure, energy development and industrial cooperation, forming a long-term framework for economic cooperation.

Taking energy cooperation as an example, for years, electricity shortages constrained Pakistan's economic and social development, while since the launch of CPEC, multiple major energy projects have been completed and put into operation, significantly easing power shortages.

Coal-fired power plants in Sahiwal, Port Qasim and Hub have entered commercial operation, while the Karot Hydropower Project has added clean energy capacity by harnessing river resources. China's Hualong One nuclear power units are operating smoothly at the Karachi Nuclear Power Plant, and the Sachal Wind Power Project in southern Sindh Province has tapped the region's wind resources.

According to China Three Gorges Corporation, the Karot Hydropower Project generated 3.64 billion kilowatt-hours of electricity in its first year of full operation, supplying power to more than 5 million people. Pakistani officials have said Chinese enterprises have introduced advanced technology and management experience while training local engineers and workers, helping Pakistan gradually move toward greater energy self-sufficiency.

Data from the Chinese Embassy in Pakistan show that by the end of 2022, CPEC had created 236,000 jobs, added 510 kilometers of highways, installed 8,000 megawatts of electricity capacity and built 886 kilometers of core national transmission lines.

Enhancing coordination on regional security

Beyond economic cooperation, China–Pakistan strategic coordination plays an important role in maintaining regional peace and stability.

In October 2024, two Chinese nationals were killed in a terrorist attack in Pakistan, following a deadly attack in March, in which five Chinese citizens lost their lives. The Chinese Foreign Ministry strongly condemned the incidents and reiterated its support for Pakistan's counter-terrorism efforts, stressing that both sides would work closely to prevent any attempts to undermine bilateral relations.

China and Pakistan maintain a high degree of consensus on regional security and responses to international challenges. The two sides have committed to strengthening defense cooperation and counter-terrorism coordination, enhancing security safeguards for Belt and Road projects, and improving strategic communication within multilateral frameworks.

Counter-terrorism cooperation has continued to advance through regularized military exchanges. In November 2024, the two militaries conducted a joint counter-terrorism exercise in Pakistan, with more than 300 personnel from the Chinese People's Liberation Army's Western Theater Command participating. 

The drill marked the eighth of such joint exercises, focusing on sharing operational experience and enhancing joint counter-terrorism capabilities. Military expert Zhang Junshe said regular joint counter-terrorism drills not only deepen bilateral cooperation but also contribute to regional peace and stability, noting that the China–Pakistan partnership has remained resilient amid global challenges.

In a joint statement issued in February 2025, the two sides reaffirmed a "zero-tolerance" stance toward all forms of terrorism and agreed to further strengthen bilateral and multilateral counter-terrorism cooperation.

"China appreciates Pakistan's unremitting efforts and enormous sacrifices in combating terrorism," Wang Yi said during his visit in Pakistan last year, expressing confidence that Pakistan will continue to effectively protect Chinese personnel, projects and institutions while further deepening security cooperation and coordination on regional counter-terrorism affairs.