Underscoring its “all weather friendship” with Islamabad, China has opened its largest embassy in Pakistan.
“As China’s largest overseas embassy, it is a symbol of friendship between China and Pakistan,” Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi was quoted as saying in the state-run China Daily. It, however, did not provide any details related to the new embassy.
An opening ceremony was organised on February 13, during Mr Wang’s visit to Pakistan. It is seen as a part of a broader scheme to boost diplomatic relations between the two countries, which includes the construction of the multi-billion Economic Corridor through the Pakistan Occupied Kashmir (POK).
The corridor is part of the Silk Road projects proposed by Chinese President Xi Jinping to connect China’s Xinjiang with Pakistan’s Gwadar Port in Balochistan province, neighboring Iran. Beijing also plans to construct two 1100 MW nuclear reactors coasting around $6.5 billion in Pakistan.
The primary purpose of Mr Wang’s two-day visit to Islamabad was aimed at seeting the agenda for the Chinese president’s visit to Pakistan at the earliest possible date this year.
Pakistan and China have expressed their joint interest in maintaining a strategic balance in South Asia as top officials from both sides discussed bilateral and regional issues during Mr Wang Yi’s visit to Islamabad.
Mr Wang met many top Pakistani leaders, including President Mamnoon Hussain, Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, Sharif’s national security and foreign affairs advisor Sartaj Aziz and Army Chief General Raheel Sharif.
“In the delegation-level talks between the advisor [Sartaj Aziz] and the Chinese foreign minister, the two sides reviewed all aspects of the bilateral relationship,” Pakistan’s foreign ministry said in a statement on February 13.
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