Pakistan and China on Thursday reaffirmed their “all-weather” partnership, agreeing to push forward high-quality CPEC cooperation during the 6th Strategic Dialogue held in Islamabad. The talks, led by Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar and Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi, underlined plans to upgrade the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor into a more diversified “CPEC 2.0.”
Pakistan, China put CPEC 2.0 at center of ties
Addressing a joint press conference after the meeting, FM Ishaq Dar described discussions as “fruitful and substantive,” covering the full range of Pakistan-China relations.
“We took stock of the progress achieved since the last round of dialogue and exchanged views on CPEC, trade and investment, science and technology, and people-to-people cooperation,” Dar said.
Wang Yi emphasized that CPEC cooperation remains the cornerstone of Pakistan-China relations, outlining four new directions: a growth corridor, livelihood-enhancing corridor, green corridor, and open corridor.
“We will deepen industrial, agricultural and mining cooperation to improve the Pakistani people’s welfare, accelerate Pakistan’s self-sustained development, and enhance economic resilience,” Wang stated.
He added that China would continue to support the operation of Gwadar Port, advance the Karakoram Highway realignment project, and welcome third-party participation in the ML-1 railway upgrade between Karachi and Peshawar.
PM Shehbaz to visit China for SCO summit
Dar confirmed that Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif will travel to China later this month to attend the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) Heads of State Summit in Tianjin from August 31 to September 1. On the sidelines, he will hold talks with Chinese President Xi Jinping and Premier Li Qiang.
A Pakistan-China Business-to-Business (B2B) Investment Conference will also be organized during the visit. According to officials, this visit will mark the formal launch of CPEC-II, focused on industrial cooperation after delays in recent years.
“The two sides will jointly prepare to ensure the success of the series of activities for the 75th anniversary of China-Pakistan diplomatic relations next year,” Wang added.
Regional peace and security on agenda
The two sides also discussed regional dynamics, including recent trilateral talks with Afghan Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi in Kabul. Dar said the trilateral format reflects Pakistan and China’s shared commitment to promoting regional peace and stability.
“These mechanisms signify our joint resolve to share the dividends of Pak-China friendship with other countries in the region and beyond,” he said.
Wang praised Pakistan’s counterterrorism efforts, assuring that China has full confidence in Islamabad’s ability to protect Chinese personnel and projects.
“China highly commends Pakistan’s tireless efforts in combatting terrorism, firmly believing Pakistan’s operation will secure victory,” he stated.
Both sides vowed to strengthen counterterrorism cooperation and enhance coordination at multilateral forums.
CPEC launched in 2015, now entering next phase
Launched a decade ago as part of the Belt and Road Initiative, the multibillion-dollar CPEC project includes energy plants, highways, railways, and Gwadar Port. It aims to improve connectivity between western China and the Arabian Sea while boosting Pakistan’s infrastructure and economy.
- CPEC start year: 2015
- Key projects: Gwadar Port, Karakoram Highway, ML-1 railway line
- New focus areas: Industrial cooperation, green energy, AI, agriculture, hospitality training
Last month, both countries agreed to launch joint training programmes in sectors including construction engineering, artificial intelligence, agriculture, and hospitality management under CPEC-II.
Condolences, humanitarian support
During the talks, Wang Yi expressed condolences over lives lost in Pakistan’s recent floods and announced that Beijing would provide emergency humanitarian assistance immediately.
He also stressed that China’s partnership with Pakistan is not aimed at any third country, responding to questions about China’s relations with India.
Looking ahead
Analysts say the Islamabad dialogue has reset momentum for CPEC after years of slow progress. With PM Shehbaz’s Beijing visit only days away, expectations are high that CPEC 2.0 will bring new investment and strengthen Pakistan’s role as a regional hub under the Belt and Road Initiative.
