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'Iron-clad brothers': Pakistan deputy PM after meeting China's President Xi in Beijing
Ishaq Dar stresses 'enduring friendship' between China and Pakistan after Xi's joint meet with ministers as part of a Shanghai Cooperation Organisation meeting
“Iron-clad brothers” is how Pakistan's foreign minister Ishaq Dar described his country's relationship with China on Tuesday, after meeting Chinese President Xi Jinping in Beijing.
He posted this on X after Xi's joint meeting with the group of foreign ministers and heads of standing bodies of the 10-member Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO).
The Pak leader's assertions come a day after India's foreign minister S Jaishankar met the Chinese leaders, including his Chinese counterpart and President Xi. Their statements spoke of putting India-China relations into a new realm where “differences do not become disputes”.
Also read | ‘Willing to work with India’: China foreign minister at SCO meet in Beijing; echoes Jaishankar's points
India has, however, also spoken recently about of how China is carrying out its anti-India strategy by backing Pakistan, such as during India's Operation Sindoor against teror camps in Pakistan.
Also read | ‘A borrowed knife’: How China used Pak during Op Sindoor, explains Indian Army deputy chief
In his post on X, the Dar, who is Pak's deputy PM too, said he was "delighted" to meet Xi at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, and "conveyed the warm greetings of the leadership, government, and people of Pakistan".
"As iron-clad brothers and All-Weather Strategic Cooperative Partners, we remain committed to deepening Pak-China enduring friendship and advancing shared regional goals," Dar's X post further read.
China currently holds the rotating presidency of the SCO. It is a 10-nation Eurasian security and political grouping comprising China, Russia, India, Iran, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Pakistan, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, and Belarus. .
The Chinese president, during the joint meet, welcomed the heads of delegations and underlined the “salience of regional cooperation”.
After this, Dar and other countries' ministers arrived in the city of Tianjin. "Always good to exchange views for strengthening regional understanding and cooperation in such a challenging time," Dar posted on X, according to a report from Lahore.
Dar held separate meetings with his counterparts from Kyrgyzstan, Kazakhstan, Iran, Uzbekistan, and Belarus, PTI reported.
