Pakistan, China agree to further deepen maritime cooperation

Pakistan and China have agreed to maintain ongoing communication and strengthen coordination on maritime policies, besides continuing to deepen both bilateral and multilateral cooperation in the sector.

The bilateral ties and cooperation were discussed during the Fifth Round of the Pakistan-China Dialogue on Maritime Cooperation held in Beijing on Tuesday, according to a Foreign Office press release.

The dialogue was co-chaired by Additional Secretary (Asia-Pacific) of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Pakistan, Imran Ahmed Siddiqui, and Director General of the Department of Boundary and Ocean Affairs of the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs Hong Liang.

The two sides positively reviewed the progress of their cooperation since the fourth round of the dialogue.

They engaged in in-depth discussions on maritime security, marine economy, marine science and technology, and the marine environment, reaching broad consensus on various issues.

Both sides reaffirmed that high-level maritime cooperation was a crucial component of the All-weather Strategic Cooperative Partnership between Pakistan and China and reiterated the commitment to jointly building a Pakistan-China maritime community with a shared future.

The two sides also agreed to hold the Sixth Round of the Pakistan-China Dialogue on Maritime Cooperation in Pakistan at an appropriate time next year.