In a meeting in China with his Pakistani counterpart, the Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi said, “we cannot allow Cold War mentality to be revived, camp confrontation to be repeated in Asia”. The spokesperson for the foreign ministry, LiJian Zhao, revealed that in a sideline meeting between the foreign ministers of the two countries the Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi cautioned against the emergence of “blocs” and an imminent “cold war” in Asia.
He further underlined that “Small & medium-sized countries shall not become tools or even victims of the great power game”. In the meeting, the Chinese State Councilor and the Foreign Minister assured Pakistan that China would “continue to view and promote China-Pakistan relations from a strategic and long-term perspective.” The meeting between the two foreign ministers marked the second meeting between them in less than a month. Prior to FM Qureshi’s visit to China, the Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi was in Pakistan to participate in the OIC meeting and for the 23rd March parade.
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The Chinese Assistant Foreign Minister Hua Chunying posted on Twitter that “China will, as always, support Pakistan in defending national sovereignty, territorial integrity and national dignity. We will be Pakistan’s most reliable partner and staunchest supporter.” Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi arrived in the Chinese city of Huangshan on Tuesday to participate in the third meeting of “Foreign Ministers of Neighbouring Countries of Afghanistan” at the invitation of Chinese State Councilor and the Chinese Foreign Minister.
#China will, as always, support #Pakistan in defending national sovereignty, territorial integrity and national dignity. We will be Pakistan’s most reliable partner and staunchest supporter.
— Hua Chunying 华春莹 (@SpokespersonCHN) March 30, 2022
On the sidelines of the event, FM Qureshi also held meetings with his counterparts from the participating countries. The Foreign Minister also met his Russian counterpart Sergei Lavrov. On his trip, FM Qureshi was accompanied by the foreign secretary Sohail Mahmood and Special Representative on Afghanistan Muhammad Sadiq and was received by senior Chinese government officials and Pakistan’s Ambassador to China. After meeting his counterpart, FM Qureshi said that “I am immensely happy to share that Chinese FM has given a nod of approval on the rollover of commercial loans as well.” The commercial loans amount to almost $4.2 billion, and an extension in the reimbursement period of that would enable Pakistan to wade through this current economic crisis.
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Afghanistan on top of the agenda:
The format of the meeting of the “foreign minister of neighbouring countries” was initiated by Pakistan in September last year after the United States’ hasty withdrawal from Afghanistan after almost two decades. The first meeting of the format was held in Pakistan on September 8, 2021.
The agenda of the meeting was the post-war reconciliation of Afghanistan. Investments and counter-terrorism efforts were discussed in the three day event. Before the foreign minister embarked on the meeting of “foreign ministers of the neighbouring countries,” he said that Afghanistan should be seen as a “shared and collective responsibility”.
Ahead of potential Chinese investment into the country, the Taliban government fighters stand guard at heritage sites that might have any significance to Chinese culture. Pinning their hope on preserving the relic, Hakumullah Mubariz, a Taliban head of security, said that “Protecting them is very important to us and the Chinese”.