Pakistan and China held the fifth round of their Dialogue on Maritime Cooperation in Beijing on April 15. 

The meeting, co-chaired by Pakistan’s Additional Secretary (Asia-Pacific) Imran Ahmed Siddiqui and China’s Director General of the Department of Boundary and Ocean Affairs Hong Liang focused on strengthening collaboration in several key maritime areas.

According to a statement from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, both sides expressed satisfaction with the progress made since the last dialogue, holding extensive discussions on maritime security, the marine economy, marine science and technology, and environmental protection. A broad consensus was reached on various issues.

The dialogue reaffirmed the importance of high-level maritime cooperation within the existing All-weather Strategic Cooperative Partnership between the two nations. 

Both countries pledged to jointly develop a “Pakistan-China maritime community with a shared future” promising continued communication, policy coordination, and expanded cooperation on bilateral and multilateral maritime initiatives.

The sixth round of the dialogue is scheduled to take place in Pakistan next year.