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The dialogue will cover updates on China-Pakistan Economic Corridor, joint security cooperation, regional stability & expansion of defence exchange programmes
Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi. (Reuters)
Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi will embark on a two-day visit to Pakistan later this month to attend the annual Pakistan-China Strategic Dialogue, a key diplomatic forum aimed at reviewing progress on flagship projects and strengthening bilateral cooperation across economic, defence, and security domains. The meetings are scheduled for August 20–21 in Islamabad and come at a time of shifting regional alliances and heightened geopolitical sensitivities.
During his stay, Wang Yi will hold separate meetings with President Asif Ali Zardari, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, and Chief of Army Staff Field Marshal Asim Munir. Sources within Pakistan’s foreign ministry told CNN-News18 that the dialogue will cover a broad agenda, including updates on the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), joint security cooperation mechanisms, strategic depth assessments, regional stability, and the expansion of defence exchange programmes.
The visit will mark Wang Yi’s first trip to Pakistan since the recent flare-up in Pakistan-India tensions. Sources believe the evolving nature of Pakistan’s relations with Washington, which have shown signs of deepening in recent months, could feature as a notable undercurrent in the discussions. Beijing is expected to seek reassurances that its strategic and economic footprint in Pakistan remains firmly anchored despite Islamabad’s growing outreach to the United States.
Beyond bilateral priorities, the dialogue will also address broader regional concerns. Officials familiar with the planning revealed to CNN-News18 that after the Islamabad meetings, senior figures from both countries may jointly travel to Kabul for consultations with the Afghan leadership. The focus would be on fostering economic connectivity and enhancing cooperation on cross-border security, particularly in the wake of increased militant activity in border regions.
The timing of Wang Yi’s visit is seen as part of a broader sequence of high-level engagements between the two countries. Shortly after the dialogue, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif will travel to China on August 29/30 for a bilateral visit and to attend the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) summit. In Beijing, he is expected to meet Chinese President Xi Jinping and Premier Li Qiang to discuss trade, investment, infrastructure development, and regional integration initiatives.
Sources say the back-to-back visits are critical for reaffirming the strength of the Pakistan-China partnership. They come as Islamabad faces mounting economic challenges, seeks to accelerate delayed CPEC projects, and navigates an increasingly complex regional environment marked by security volatility and shifting global alliances.
The Islamabad dialogue will likely serve as a platform for both countries to recalibrate their strategies in light of emerging connectivity opportunities in Central Asia, the evolving Afghan situation, and the need to safeguard CPEC investments from security threats. The meetings are also expected to highlight Beijing’s continuing role as Pakistan’s principal development partner, even as Islamabad works to balance its relations with other global powers.
With CPEC projects entering a new phase focused on industrial cooperation, energy diversification, and socio-economic development, both sides are expected to use the upcoming dialogue to set concrete timelines for project execution and review security arrangements for Chinese nationals working in Pakistan.
Group Editor, Investigations & Security Affairs, Network18
Group Editor, Investigations & Security Affairs, Network18
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- Location :
Islamabad, Pakistan
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