By Our Diplomatic Correspondent
ISLAMABAD: Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi arrived in Islamabad on Wednesday for a three-day official visit at the invitation of Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar, according to a statement issued by the Foreign Office.
Dar received Yi at Nur Khan Airbase, where senior officials from the foreign ministry and the Chinese Embassy were also present. A group of children in traditional attire welcomed the guest of honour with flowers.
During the visit, the Sixth Pakistan–China Foreign Ministers’ Strategic Dialogue will be held in Islamabad. The talks will be co-chaired by Yi and Dar and are expected to focus on political, economic and security cooperation.
Yi’s arrival comes ahead of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s planned trip to Beijing later this month for the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation summit, where he will meet Chinese President Xi Jinping.
Currently on a South Asian tour, Yi attended the Sixth Trilateral Foreign Ministers’ Dialogue in Kabul alongside DPM Dar and Afghanistan’s Acting Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi earlier.
During the dialogue, Pakistan, China and Afghanistan reaffirmed their commitment to deepen regional cooperation, agreeing to extend the China–Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) into Afghanistan.
The three sides said the extension of CPEC would boost trade, transit and development opportunities for Afghanistan, linking it more closely with regional markets.
In a joint statement, the ministers also pledged to strengthen cooperation in combating terrorism and drug trafficking.
They underscored the importance of coordinated security efforts to stabilise the region.
The dialogue further reaffirmed collaboration in health, education, culture and regional connectivity. “We remain committed to promoting peace, development and prosperity in the region,” a statement said.
