Dar to visit Beijing for strategic dialogue scheduled for Jan 4

Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar will visit Beijing to co-chair the seventh round of the Pakistan-China Foreign Ministers’ Strategic Dialogue, which is scheduled to be held on January 4, 2026, the Foreign Office (FO) said on Wednesday. According to the FO, Dar will be visiting at the invitation of Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi. It said that the dialogue was the “highest consultative mechanism between Pakistan and China, providing a structured platform to review the entire spectrum of bilateral cooperation, as well as regional and international developments of mutual interest”. It added that during the dialogue, the two foreign ministers will also announce a series of initiatives and commemorative activities to mark the 75th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between the two countries. “The visit forms an important part of the regular high-level exchanges between the two countries and reflects their shared determination to broaden and deepen the all-weather strategic cooperative partnership, while reaffirming their mutual commitment to regional peace, stability, and sustainable development,” the FO statement said. While the FO did not give the exact dates for Dar’s visit, the Chinese foreign ministry said he would be visiting from January 3 to 6, 2026. The sixth round of the strategic dialogue was held in Islamabad in August, with Yi visiting the capital and meeting Dar, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and President Asif Ali Zardari. At the time, China had affirmed its commitment to working with Pakistan on promoting regional peace, development and stability.