Pakistan foreign minister to visit China on heels of conflict with India over Kashmir

ISLAMABAD - Pakistan’s foreign minister will make a three-day official visit to China, his office said on May 18, a little over a week after Islamabad reached a ceasefire with India to end their most serious conflict in decades.

Mr Ishaq Dar, who also holds the portfolio of deputy prime minister, will start his visit on May 19 in Beijing where he will hold “in-depth discussions” with Chinese counterpart Wang Yi “on the evolving regional situation in South Asia and its implications for peace and stability”, his office said in a statement.

“The two sides will also review the entire spectrum of Pakistan-China bilateral relations and exchange views on regional and global developments of mutual interest,” it said.

Mr Dar’s visit to Beijing comes on the heels of a tumultuous couple of weeks, following an April attack in Indian-administered Kashmir in which 26 people were killed.

New Delhi blamed Islamabad for backing the militants it claimed were behind the attack – the deadliest on civilians in Muslim-majority Kashmir in decades. Pakistan denies the charge.

The territory is claimed in full by both India and Pakistan, which have fought several wars over Kashmir since their 1947 independence from British rule.

On May 7, India launched strikes against what it said were “terrorist camps” in Pakistan, kicking off four days of intense tit-for-tat drone, missile and artillery exchanges with Islamabad.

The conflict left more than 70 people, including dozens of civilians, dead on both sides.

Fearing further escalation, global leaders had urged restraint from both sides early on in the conflict, including China which promised to play a “constructive role” – though experts say Beijing had clearly picked a side.

China has been one of Pakistan’s most reliable foreign partners, readily providing financial assistance to bail out its often struggling neighbour.

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