Qureshi’s China visit to feature critical talks
BEIJING/ ISLAMABAD: Fraught ties with India, the China-pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) and the Covid-19 pandemic are expected to be part of a two-day dialogue between Chinese foreign minister Wang Yi and his Pakistani counterpart Shah Mahmood Qureshi.
China’s foreign ministry announced on Thursday that Wang, who is also state councillor, will host Qureshi for the second round of the strategic foreign ministers’ dialogue in the southern province of Hainan.
Radio Pakistan reported Qureshi had left for Beijing for a “very important” official visit. The trip follows the return of Pakistan Army chief Gen Qamar Bajwa from a failed mission to Saudi Arabia, where he had gone to repair ties with the kingdom that were hit by Qureshi’s recent critical comments.
“I had the discussion regarding the China visit with Prime
Minister Imran Khan (on Wednesday). The aim of the visit is to project Pakistan’s political and military leadership’s vision,” Qureshi said in a video message.
Wang and Qureshi will meet at a time when the ties of Beijing and Islamabad - all-weather strategic partners - with New Delhi are at an all-time low due to tensions along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) and the Kashmir issue.
“This time, the strategic dialogue is highly relevant and the two sides will take the opportunity to discuss anti-epidemic cooperation, bilateral ties and other regional and international issues of mutual interest,” Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson Zhao Lijian told reporters at a press event.
“We believe this dialogue will help to enhance our strategic mutual trust, deepen our practical cooperation and strengthen our close coordination on international and regional affairs,” he added. Qureshi’s trip is also among the first high-profile diplomatic visits to China as it emerges from the pandemic. Indonesian foreign minister Retno Marsudi began a two-day visit on Wednesday. The first strategic dialogue between the foreign ministers of China and Pakistan was held in Beijing in March last year. Zhao said this mechanism is a platform for the two “iron brothers” to coordinate exchanges in different fields and make policy suggestions on bilateral ties.
Besides ways to tackle the pandemic, Wang and Qureshi will discuss the progress in CPEC, the flagship project under President Xi Jinping’s Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), Zhao said.
Wang and Qureshi are also expected to discuss a bigger role for China in war-torn Afghanistan’s peace process.