FM Dar to visit China on March 31 for talks on regional tensions

Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar will visit China on Tuesday at the invitation of Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi to hold in-depth discussions on regional tensions, the Foreign Ministry announced in a message on X on Monday.

“Pakistan and China enjoy an all-weather strategic cooperative partnership characterized by close coordination and regular consultations on regional and international issues,” the foreign ministry said.

The statement said that in this context of in-depth cooperation, the visit will allow the two sides to “hold in-depth discussions on regional developments” and global issues of common concern.

The visit comes as Islamabad concludes a four-country meeting aimed at promoting dialogue and diplomacy to end hostilities in the Middle East.

The meeting brought together foreign ministers from Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, Turkey and Egypt as part of a coordinated effort to defuse a conflict that is now entering its second month, amid growing concerns about wider regional fallout and disruption to global energy supplies.

Dar on Sunday revealed that China had extended full support to Islamabad’s initiative following his telephonic conversation with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi. “Starting peace talks is not an easy task, but it is the only viable path to avoid further casualties and losses,” Yi said, according to an official Chinese statement.

The ministry noted that FM Dar’s visit would continue “despite medical advice to rest following a fractured shoulder suffered yesterday”, underscoring the importance Pakistan attaches to its relations with China.

Dar was injured on Sunday after he slipped and fell while receiving the Egyptian foreign minister in Islamabad, his son Ali Dar confirmed in a message on X.