Pakistan and China will hold an annual strategic dialogue on August 21, during which all aspects of bilateral ties between the two countries would be reviewed. According to Pakistani media reports on Friday, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi is slated to visit Pakistan with a stay in capital Islamabad scheduled for August 20 and 21.

The Pakistani delegation during the talks will be led by Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Senator Mohammad Ishaq Dar. During the dialogue, both the countries will cover a wide range of topics, including bilateral relations, progress on the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), economic relations and regional security.

This will be the Chinese Foreign Minister’s first visit to Pakistan following the recent Pakistan-India conflict. The visit includes participation in the annual Pakistan-China Strategic Dialogue which carries considerable significance.

The Chinese Foreign Minister besides attending the strategic dialogue is likely to meet Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif and President Asif Ali Zardari. Last year Pakistan-China strategic dialogue took place in Beijing. The Chinese media has also confirmed the arrival of Wang Yi in Pakistan.

Prior to the Chinese Foreign Minister’s scheduled visit to Islamabad, Pakistan’s Planning Minister Ahsan Iqbal visited China during the current week and finalized the dialogue documents and agenda with senior Chinese officials in Beijing.

According to political and diplomatic analysts the upcoming strategic dialogue between Pakistan and China will serve to reinforce bilateral ties between the two countries. China and Pakistan are time tested friends and have always supported each other on issues concerning their respective core interests. Moreover, both the countries have stood together in the face of various challenges.