New Delhi: Pakistan’s Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar will visit China on Monday for bilateral talks with his Chinese counterpart, Wang Yi.
Dar will also meet Afghanistan’s acting foreign minister Amir Khan Muttaqi, who is set to arrive in China on Tuesday.
Geo News reported that the three leaders will hold a trilateral meeting. Dar’s trip to China is the first after Operation Sindoor and therefore, it assumes significance. Operation Sindoor targeted terror infrastructure in Pakistan and PoK, after which there was a military confrontation between the two neighbours.
According to Geo News, the foreign ministers of Pakistan, China and Afghanistan are expected to discuss boosting regional trade, and strengthening security cooperation amid the evolving regional landscape, particularly after the recent Pakistan-India conflict.
Some hackles have been raised over China being the location of Dar’s first foreign visit after Operation Sindoor. Following the ceasefire between India and Pakistan on May 10, China had hailed the understanding and said it is in the fundamental and long-term interest of both countries, and is conducive to regional peace and stability.
On May 12, China had responded to reports alleging that it had sent its largest military cargo plane loaded with arms to Pakistan during the conflict. Calling it a “rumour”, the People’s Liberation Army Air Force had warned that it could take legal action against those who fuelled the buzz.
The Chinese Ministry of Defence released a statement on its official website, in which the Air Force denied conducting any such mission. It dismissed online speculation suggesting that its Y-20 aircraft was transporting relief supplies to Islamabad, calling the claims unfounded.
