Pakistani foreign minister meets Chinese counterpart amid India tensions

Pakistan’s Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar met Wednesday his Chinese counterpart Wang Yi on the sidelines of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) Council of Foreign Ministers meeting.

According to a statement from Pakistan’s Foreign Ministry, Dar congratulated Wang on hosting the meeting and expressed gratitude to Chinese leadership for the hospitality extended during the event.

The two foreign ministers discussed a range of issues, including the multi-billion-dollar China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) and broader multilateral cooperation.

Both sides reaffirmed their commitment to enhancing bilateral ties and promoting regional cooperation, peace, and development.

Dar arrived in China earlier this week to represent Pakistan at the meeting in Tianjin, amid heightened regional tensions between India and Pakistan.

The bloc comprises China, Russia, Pakistan, India, Iran, and Central Asian states and serves as a key platform for dialogue on security, connectivity, and economic matters.

Upon arrival in Beijing, Dar was received by Ambassador Yu Hong from the Chinese Foreign Ministry’s Department of Asian Affairs.

Dar on Tuesday also participated in a joint call on Chinese President Xi Jinping with other foreign ministers.

The meeting comes weeks after India refused to sign a joint statement at a separate SCO gathering, citing the omission of an April attack in Indian-administered Kashmir. India blamed Pakistan for the April 22 assault, which left 26 dead. Pakistan denies involvement, and India has not publicly provided evidence.

The attack sparked four days of military escalation in May between India and Pakistan — including airstrikes, missiles, drones, and artillery — that left at least 70 people dead before a U.S.-brokered ceasefire took effect.

The SCO’s Council of Foreign Ministers is the group’s third-highest decision-making body and focuses on member states’ foreign and security policies. The forum is widely seen as part of a broader effort by China and Russia to shape a multipolar world order and counter U.S. influence in the region.