On Friday in Islamabad, China’s Foreign Minister held a high-level meeting to underscore their increasing strategic cooperation. At this meeting, they addressed regional security, counter-terrorism efforts and defense cooperation.
At a critical juncture for South Asia, as it grapples with increased militancy, cross-border tensions, and shifting geopolitical alignments, both parties emphasized their long-standing partnership, promising further coordination in combatting terrorism and protecting regional stability.
Strengthening Bilateral Ties
At their meeting at GHQ, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi expressed Beijing’s strong commitment to Pakistan’s security and sovereignty, commending Pakistan’s sacrifices in combating global terrorism while assuring Islamabad that Beijing supports efforts made by Islamabad towards maintaining internal stability.
General [Name], expressed his appreciation to China for their steadfast diplomatic and security support, while noting the Pakistan Army remains fully dedicated to combatting terrorism of any form, and regards their defense relationship as being essential for maintaining regional peace.
Both leaders recognized that strategic coordination between their nations had become ever more essential given regional challenges such as Afghanistan’s fragile security environment, the rise of militant networks, and transnational terrorism threats.
Counterterrorism Cooperation Agreement
Counterterrorism was at the core of discussions. Both sides stressed the need for intelligence-sharing mechanisms, joint training programs and capacity-building initiatives to combat evolving threats. Based on a statement issued after these discussions, Pakistan and China committed to expanding collaboration among their armed forces and law enforcement agencies to boost readiness against extremist groups.
China voiced concern for the safety of Chinese nationals working under CPEC in Pakistan. Recent attacks against engineers and projects related to CPEC has caused Beijing to press for increased security measures; Pakistan assured Beijing’s representative that additional protective arrangements have been put into place and that no stone will be left unturned in safeguarding Chinese personnel and investments.
Regional Stability and Strategic Outlook.
Beyond counterterrorism, the two leaders also discussed wider regional dynamics. They stressed the necessity of constructive engagement in Afghanistan in order to prevent it from once more becoming a haven for extremism and militant activity. Stability there, they agreed, is essential not only for regional peace but also ensuring success of connectivity projects related to CPEC and Belt and Road Initiative projects.
China and Pakistan both expressed concern over rising tensions in the Asia-Pacific region, emphasizing China and Pakistan’s shared responsibility to act as stabilizing forces against shifting power balances. Both parties highlighted their disagreement with “double standards” when it comes to combatting terrorism, emphasizing no nation should use violence as a tool to pursue political agendas.
Looking Forward
The meeting culminated with an agreement by both parties to hold regular high-level exchanges between political and military leadership, with joint working groups on security and counterterrorism expected to intensify consultations in the coming months.
Observers point out that this visit marks not only a strengthening of Pakistan-China ties but also Beijing’s increasing involvement in South Asian security affairs. As South Asia faces various security issues, both parties appear determined to increase strategic alignment as a means of counteracting instability.