ISLAMABAD

The foreign ministers of Pakistan and China on Wednesday discussed progress on the multibillion-dollar China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) project, according to an official statement.

Pakistani Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar met with his Chinese counterpart Wang Yi on the sidelines of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) Council of Foreign Ministers meeting in Tianjin, said the Foreign Ministry.

The two leaders emphasized the strength of the bilateral All-Weather Strategic Cooperative Partnership and expressed satisfaction with the ongoing close collaboration across various domains.

Both sides reiterated their firm commitment to further strengthening the bilateral cooperation to promote regional peace, stability, and development, the ministry also said.

It was the third meeting between Dar and Wang since Pakistan-India hostilities in May.

Earlier, they also met in Beijing and Hong Kong.

In May, China, Pakistan, and Afghanistan agreed to extend the CPEC project into Afghanistan.

The $64-billion project is a flagship component of the Belt and Road Initiative. It connects China’s northwestern Xinjiang province with Pakistan’s Gwadar port in Balochistan through a network of roads, railways, and pipelines for cargo, oil, and gas transportation.

The Belt and Road Initiative is China’s global infrastructure drive aiming to enhance economic connectivity between China and partner countries. Launched in 2013 to revitalize East-West trade on the historic Silk Road route, it has constituted a significant share of China's overseas investments with infrastructure, transportation, communication, and other connectivity projects over the last 10 years.

Earlier, in Tianjin, Dar also met with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, Iranian counterpart Abbas Araghchi, Kyrgyzstan's top diplomat Kulubaev Zheenbek Moldokanovic, and Kazakh Foreign Minister Murat Nurtleu.