China on Tuesday assured Pakistan of its backing in defending its sovereignty and territorial integrity, even as diplomatic ties between Tehran and Islamabad were restored following recent airstrikes between the two nations. China’s Foreign Minister, Sun Weidong, visited Pakistan on a mediation mission, with a statement from the Foreign Ministry indicating close contact with both Pakistan and Iran to address their differences.
🔊: PR NO. 2️⃣5️⃣/2️⃣0️⃣2️⃣4️⃣
Meeting of the Foreign Minister with the Chinese Vice Foreign Minister
🔗⬇️ https://t.co/kKFpgcsdmD pic.twitter.com/1Hz7RRfFNI
— Spokesperson 🇵🇰 MoFA (@ForeignOfficePk) January 22, 2024
On January 18, China offered to play a “constructive role” to ease tensions between Pakistan and Iran, urging restraint and calmness to prevent escalation after the countries conducted missile strikes against each other. Pakistan, in response to Iranian missile and drone attacks on January 16, executed “precision military strikes” in Iran’s Siestan-Balochistan province, resulting in nine casualties. The Iranian attacks targeted bases of the Sunni Baloch militant group Jaish al-Adl in Pakistan’s Balochistan province.
Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Wang Wenbin stated that China welcomed the progress in Iran-Pakistan ties, supporting both nations in enhancing mutual trust and cooperation. Sun, during his meeting with Pakistan’s President Arif Ali, emphasized China’s commitment to supporting Pakistan in safeguarding its sovereignty, independence, territorial integrity, unity, stability, development, and prosperity.
Sun, a former Ambassador to Pakistan and India, expressed China’s willingness to work with Pakistan to deepen political mutual trust, expand practical cooperation, upgrade the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), and accelerate the development of a closer China-Pakistan community with a shared future.
He assured Pakistan of China’s support during talks with various officials, including Army Chief General Syed Asim Munir. Sun also participated in a key meeting regarding the USD 60 billion CPEC project, which India has protested due to its route through Pakistan-Occupied Kashmir (POK).
Wang Wenbin reiterated China’s stance on mediation, expressing readiness to collaborate with Iran and Pakistan to strengthen mutually beneficial cooperation and safeguard regional peace, stability, and development. Both Iran and Pakistan have agreed to allow the return of their respective ambassadors by January 26, following the expulsion of envoys after the airstrikes.
China, balancing its alliances with both Pakistan and Iran, faces challenges as tensions persist in the West Asia region. China, a significant importer of oil from Iran, is also concerned about Iran’s missile strikes in Balochistan, where many Chinese investments, including the Gwadar port, are located—the starting point of the CPEC project connecting to China’s Xinjiang province. Vice Foreign Minister Ma Zhaoxu engaged in a phone call with Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister Ali Bagheri Kani, urging a de-escalation of tensions.
