Pakistani Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar held a high-level meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping in Beijing ahead of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) foreign ministers’ session. The meeting, held at the Great Hall of the People, was part of ongoing diplomatic engagements under China’s presidency of the SCO and centered on deepening regional cooperation and strategic ties.

President Xi welcomed the foreign ministers of SCO member states and emphasized the importance of multilateral cooperation, regional security, and shared development goals. The SCO, which includes key countries such as China, Russia, India, Pakistan, and Iran, is a crucial regional forum covering a large segment of the Eurasian population and geopolitics.

Leading Pakistan’s delegation at the SCO Council of Foreign Ministers (CFM), Ishaq Dar conveyed greetings from Pakistan’s leadership and reaffirmed the long-standing, strategic friendship between Pakistan and China. In a post on social media platform X (formerly Twitter), Dar described the meeting as “delightful” and reiterated Pakistan’s unwavering commitment to advancing mutual interests and regional stability.

“As iron-clad brothers and all-weather strategic cooperative partners, we remain committed to deepening Pak-China enduring friendship and advancing shared regional goals,” he wrote.

Upon his arrival in Beijing, Dar was received by senior officials from China’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, including Ambassador Yu Hong from the Department of Asian Affairs, and Pakistan’s envoy to China, Ambassador Khalil ur Rehman Hashmi.

During his stay, Dar also held bilateral discussions with other regional leaders, including Kazakh Foreign Minister Murat Nurtleu and Kyrgyz Foreign Minister Zheenbek Moldokanovic, focusing on enhancing bilateral ties and strengthening collaboration in trade, security, and cultural exchange.

The SCO’s CFM meeting serves as the third-highest decision-making body within the organization. It sets the groundwork for major policy initiatives and approves key documents and declarations that will be presented to the Council of Heads of State (CHS). The next CHS summit is scheduled to take place on August 31–September 1, 2025, in Tianjin, China.

According to Pakistan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Dar is scheduled to hold a series of bilateral meetings with foreign ministers from other SCO member states during his visit, furthering Islamabad’s diplomatic outreach within the regional bloc.