Dar meets Chinese Foreign Minister discussing bilateral relations on sidelines of SCO summit

Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar on Friday met with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi on the sidelines of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization Council of Foreign Ministers (SCO-CFM) meeting in Cholpon-Ata, Kyrgyzstan, to exchange views on bilateral relations, regional developments and cooperation in multilateral forums.

According to an article published on X by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MoFA), FM Dar and his Chinese counterpart “had a warm and productive exchange of views.” The former also thanked Yi for “appreciating Pakistan’s diplomatic efforts towards regional peace and stability, as highlighted in his remarks at the SCO MFC.”

Yi also “conveyed his best wishes to Pakistan for its upcoming chairmanship of the SCO Heads of State Council and hosting the SCO Summit in 2027,” the Foreign Ministry said.

Previously, FM Dar met with President of the Kyrgyz Republic Sadyr Nurgozhoevich Zhaparov to discuss regional and global developments, as well as the evolving role of the SCO as an important platform for cooperation.

According to the Foreign Ministry, FM Dar met Zhaparov at his state residence in Cholpon-Ata, “conveying warm greetings from President Asif Ali Zardari and Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif.”

The Foreign Minister “thanked President Japarov for his gracious hospitality during the meeting of the SCO Council of Foreign Ministers,” the Foreign Ministry said.

FM Dar also “highlighted the importance of continued collaboration among SCO member states as Pakistan prepares to assume the SCO Chairmanship for 2026-2027.”

In a previous article on

FM Dar left for the Kyrgyz Republic yesterday to attend the meeting after concluding a visit to Manila. According to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, FM Dar was invited by Kyrgyz Foreign Minister Zheenbek Kulubaev, heading the Pakistani delegation to the SCO-CFM meeting scheduled for July 23-24.

Foreign ministers of SCO member states, including Pakistan, China, Belarus, India, Iran, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Russia, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan, would attend the MFC meeting, the Foreign Ministry had announced.

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The CFM is the third forum in the SCO format. It focuses on issues of international relations, as well as SCO foreign and security policy.

FM Dar attended the 33rd ASEAN Regional Forum (ARF) Ministerial Meeting in Manila, Philippines yesterday before departing for Cholpon-Ata in the Kyrgyz Republic.

He also held a meeting with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov ahead of the ARF ministerial meeting and “reviewed bilateral relations between Pakistan and Russia and reaffirmed their commitment to further strengthen cooperation in trade, energy, connectivity and other key areas, as well as strengthen coordination in multilateral forums”, the foreign ministry had said.

At the ARF meeting, FM Dar urged the international community not to let recent diplomatic gains in the Gulf go to waste, saying “we must not let this opportunity slip through our hands,” while calling for sustained dialogue to ensure lasting peace, according to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Addressing the meeting, FM Dar said recent developments in the Gulf had affected countries in the region and stressed that Pakistan had done “everything in its power” to help restore peace and stability.

“We cannot afford to ignore these developments,” he said.