China and Pakistan are ironclad friends and all-weather strategic cooperative partners, and solid strategic mutual trust and frequent high-level exchanges are distinctive features of bilateral ties.

Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning made these remarks while announcing Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi’s visit to Pakistan from August 20 to 22.

Wang Yi will hold the Sixth Round of China-Pakistan Foreign Ministers’ Strategic Dialogue with Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Mohammad Ishaq Dar in Islamabad.

Sharing the programme and China’s expectations, Mao Ning, during her regular briefing, said that this will be Foreign Minister Wang Yi’s second visit to Pakistan in three years, and the latest high-level exchange between China and Pakistan following recent bilateral meetings and visits.

During the visit, Foreign Minister Wang Yi will meet Pakistani leaders and hold the sixth round of the China-Pakistan Foreign Ministers’ Strategic Dialogue with Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar.

The two sides will have in-depth communication on bilateral relations and international and regional issues of mutual interest, she added.

In June last year, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif paid an official visit to China. In February this year, President Asif Ali Zardari paid a state visit to China and attended the opening ceremony of the Ninth Asian Winter Games.

President Xi Jinping and Pakistani leaders have jointly provided strategic guidance for the growth of bilateral relations, she added.

Mao Ning said China hopes to work with Pakistan through this visit to further deliver on the important common understandings between the leaders of the two countries, deepen strategic communication, expand practical cooperation in various areas, enhance coordination and cooperation in international and regional affairs, and accelerate the building of an even closer China-Pakistan community with a shared future in the new era.

The spokesperson said that China and Pakistan are ironclad friends and all-weather strategic cooperative partners, and our bilateral relationship is not affected by any third party and does not target any third party.

Answering a question about China’s relations with India and Pakistan, she reiterated that both India and Pakistan are China’s important neighbors.

China is willing to conduct friendly cooperation with both countries.

“As for issues between them, we hope they will find proper solutions. China stands ready to play a constructive role in light of its will,” she added.