Pakistan’s Foreign Minister and Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar underscored the “iron-clad” friendship between Pakistan and China following a joint meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping and other foreign ministers participating in the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) summit in Beijing on Tuesday.
In a post shared on X (formerly Twitter), Dar described China as “All-Weather Strategic Cooperative Partners” and expressed his country’s commitment to strengthening the bilateral bond.
“Delighted to meet President Xi Jinping at the Great Hall of the People, Beijing, and conveyed the warm greetings of the leadership, government, and people of Pakistan,” Dar wrote.
“As iron-clad brothers… we remain committed to deepening Pak-China enduring friendship and advancing shared regional goals,” he added.
This affirmation of ties came just a day after Indian External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar met with Chinese leaders, including Foreign Minister Wang Yi and President Xi. India’s messaging focused on ensuring that “differences do not become disputes” in its bilateral ties with China.
India has recently raised concerns over China’s growing strategic alignment with Pakistan, especially during military operations like India’s Operation Sindoor targeting terror camps across the border. New Delhi sees Beijing’s backing of Islamabad on such fronts as part of a larger anti-India strategy.
Xi Jinping Welcomes SCO Delegates
During the joint meeting with SCO foreign ministers and heads of standing bodies, President Xi welcomed all delegations and stressed the importance of “regional cooperation”, especially amid global and geopolitical shifts. The gathering underlined China’s active role as the current rotating chair of the SCO.
The SCO is a Eurasian political and security alliance that now includes 10 member states:
China, Russia, India, Pakistan, Iran, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, and Belarus.
Regional Engagements Continue
After the Beijing meeting, Dar and other SCO ministers travelled to Tianjin for follow-up engagements.
“Always good to exchange views for strengthening regional understanding and cooperation in such a challenging time,” Dar posted from Tianjin.
The Pakistani foreign minister also held bilateral meetings with his counterparts from Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Iran, Uzbekistan, and Belarus, according to a report by PTI.
These discussions are part of Islamabad’s ongoing efforts to position itself as a key player in Eurasian regional dynamics, especially in partnership with Beijing.