Pakistan, China Review Ties as Dar Meets Wang Yi at SCO
Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar met Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi on Friday on the sidelines of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation Council of Foreign Ministers meeting in Cholpon-Ata, Kyrgyzstan. The talks focused on Pakistan-China relations, regional developments and coordination through major multilateral forums.
According to Pakistan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the two ministers held a warm and productive exchange covering bilateral cooperation and regional peace efforts. Dar thanked Wang for recognising Pakistan’s diplomatic role in supporting stability during a period of heightened geopolitical tension across Asia and the Middle East.
Wang conveyed China’s best wishes as Pakistan prepares to assume the chairmanship of the SCO Council of Heads of State for 2026-27. He also expressed support for Pakistan’s hosting of the SCO summit in 2027, an event expected to bring leaders from the organisation’s member states together for high-level discussions on security, trade and connectivity.
The Foreign Office said both sides reviewed opportunities to deepen cooperation within the SCO and other international platforms. Their discussion reflected the two countries’ longstanding practice of coordinating positions on regional security, economic development and diplomatic initiatives of mutual concern.
Earlier in the day, Dar joined the foreign ministers of other SCO member states in calling on Kyrgyz President Sadyr Zhaparov at his official residence. Dar conveyed greetings from President Asif Ali Zardari and Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and thanked the Kyrgyz leadership for its hospitality during the ministerial gathering.
Dar also underlined the importance of sustained collaboration among SCO members as Pakistan prepares for its upcoming chairmanship. The organisation brings together Pakistan, China, India, Russia, Iran, Belarus and several Central Asian states, making it an influential forum for addressing regional security and economic cooperation.
The meeting with Wang followed Dar’s recent diplomatic engagements in Manila, where he attended the ASEAN Regional Forum ministerial meeting. During that visit, he also met Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov and discussed trade, energy, connectivity and coordination at international institutions.
Pakistan’s engagement with China remains central to its foreign and economic policy, particularly through cooperation under the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor. Islamabad is seeking to expand that partnership beyond infrastructure by encouraging industrial collaboration, technology transfers, agricultural development and stronger trade links.
The latest meeting is expected to support preparations for Pakistan’s SCO leadership role while maintaining momentum in its strategic relationship with Beijing. Further bilateral consultations are likely as Islamabad develops the agenda for its chairmanship and begins planning for the 2027 summit.