State Councilor and Foreign Minister of China Qin Gang's maiden visit to Pakistan strengthens the robust partnership

The dynamic duo of China and Pakistan continues to forge ahead as Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Qin Gang made his first official visit to Pakistan on May 5 to 6, 2023. The visit was more than just a routine meeting, as it covered a comprehensive agenda focused on strengthening the already robust partnership between the two nations.

One of the highlights of the visit was the Fourth Round of China-Pakistan Foreign Minister’s Strategic Dialogue, co-chaired by the "Iron brothers, trusted friends and enduring partners for peace and development.” This meeting marks yet another significant milestone in the ever-growing friendship between China and Pakistan.

At the strategic dialogue, despite major regional and global changes, the two sides reiterated the strengthening of mutual relations. Acknowledging a decade of China’s Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) – a development and investment initiative focusing on ‘shared destiny’— the ‘All-Weather Strategic Cooperative Partners’ agreed on the continued extension of support on issues affecting the core interests of both nations. Both sides reviewed the progress related to the strategically important China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), including the development of the Gawadar port, in Pakistan. The Chinese side acknowledged Pakistan’s efforts to safeguard the security of Chinese nationals and their interests in Pakistan, and also hoped for further cooperation in this regard. Counterterrorism efforts were discussed and both nations agreed on the need for regional peace, especially in Afghanistan.

Pakistan offered its full support to the global aspiration of China, through its various global initiatives which include, among other things, the Global Development Initiative (GDI), Global Security Initiative (GSI), and Global Civilization Initiative (GCI). Both sides expressed their willingness to advance coordination in these areas on multiple levels. The two sides are ready to advance cooperation on the GDI and GSI bilaterally and in multilateral fora to achieve sustainable development and the shared aspirations of a prosperous and progressive world.

During the visit, Qin attended the ‘Fifth China-Pakistan-Afghanistan Foreign Minister’s Dialogue’ in Islamabad on May 6. At the trilateral dialogue, all three sides vowed to strengthen their cooperation in multiple sectors including the political, economic, strategic, and cultural domains. The meeting also aimed to initiate a discourse on how to effectively tackle the blooming terrorist sanctuaries in the region. This dialogue came at a crucial time as it followed the very important meeting of the Council of Foreign Ministers of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) that discussed terrorism and regional peace and security.

For China, some core interest areas were security and political cooperation as China highlighted major concerns over recent multiple targeted attacks on Chinese nationals in Pakistan. This has had a direct impact on the economic and defense partnership between the two regions. As for the third member of the dialogue, Afghanistan’s geo-strategic placement makes it a key transit route for South and Central Asian nations. Its mineral resources have also been largely untapped so far and all these factors make Afghanistan a lucrative investment opportunity for the ever-expanding Belt and Road Initiative.

Building on this momentum and Chinese resoluteness for regional peace and security, this was the third important meeting on Afghanistan that Qin attended in less than a month. On April 13, 2023, Qin chaired the second informal meeting on Afghanistan between the Foreign Ministers of China, Russia, Pakistan, and Iran. He also attended the Fourth Foreign Ministers’ Meeting among the Neighboring Countries of Afghanistan in Samarkand on April 13. These are multiple angles to look at these developments including strategically and diplomatically. Ever since the launch of the Global Security Initiative (GSI), China has increased its engagements toward achieving a peaceful neighborhood to support its Global Development Initiative (GDI).

The recent diplomatic breakthrough between Saudi Arabia and Iran with Chinese mediation has boosted their confidence and amplified their aspirations to play a bigger role in global geopolitics. After the withdrawal of the US troops from Afghanistan, the engagement of the West in Afghanistan is limited to humanitarian assistance and is constantly engaging in coercive measures to deal with the interim Afghan government. On the other side, the Chinese approach is more inclusive and far-reaching. China believes that supporting the interim Afghan government with efforts of reconstruction and development is important for building an inclusive government within Afghanistan and for building friendly relations with neighboring countries and fighting terrorism.

About the author:

Qaiser Nawab is a Pakistani expert on the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), Afghanistan, South and Central Asia.