Trans-boundary water resources cooperation: Pakistan, China signal readiness

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan and China signaled their readiness to cooperate in developing trans-boundary water resources, based on the principles of equality and mutual benefit, while underscoring the importance of fulfilling international legal obligations.

“The two sides expressed readiness to conduct trans-boundary water resources cooperation under the principle of equality and mutual benefit, and emphasized the imperative of fulfilling international legal obligations,” said the Joint Press Communiqué issued by Pakistan’s Foreign Office on Monday.

The joint statement came after the conclusion of the 7th round of the Pakistan-China Foreign Ministers’ Strategic Dialogue, for which Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar travelled to Beijing.

The two neighbours also called for “more visible and verifiable actions” to dismantle and eliminate all terrorist organizations based in Afghanistan, which continue to pose serious threats to regional and global security. Terrorist organizations must be prevented from using the Afghan territory for terrorism to endanger any other country, they demanded.

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The two sides agreed to keep in close communication and coordination on the Afghan issue, work with the international community to encourage the Afghan government to build “an inclusive political framework,” adopt moderate policies, focus on development, pursue good-neighborliness, and play a constructive role in helping Afghanistan achieve stable development and integrate into the international community.

According to the statement, China commended the “comprehensive measures” taken by Pakistan to combat terrorism and protect the safety of Chinese personnel, projects, and institutions in Pakistan. It said that China recognized the “significant contributions and huge sacrifices” that Pakistan made in combating terrorism over the years.

The two neighbours reiterated their commitment to combating terrorism in all its forms and manifestations with zero tolerance and agreed to further deepen all-round cooperation on counter-terrorism and security. They vowed to make concerted efforts to ensure that the China-Pakistan Belt and Road cooperation advances securely and smoothly.

According to the Communiqué, both sides agreed to better align their development strategies and priorities and to advance an upgraded “CPEC 2.0,” a flagship project of the Belt and Road Initiative. They agreed to concentrate on three priority sectors — industry, agriculture, and mining — while accelerating the development and operation of Gwadar Port, ensuring uninterrupted connectivity along the Karakoram Highway, and strengthening Pakistan’s capacity for sustainable development.

The two countries also committed to expanding cooperation in trade and investment, information technology, science and technology, cybersecurity, technical and vocational education and training, as well as people-to-people and cultural exchanges. They agreed to leverage the year-round opening of the Khunjerab Pass to boost bilateral trade and interpersonal exchanges.

The two sides welcomed the third-party participation in CPEC cooperation in line with frameworks jointly agreed by China and Pakistan.

The statement said that Pakistan and China agreed to further strengthen cooperation in the financial and banking sectors, including extending mutual support at regional and international multilateral financial forums.

The two sides reaffirmed their readiness to further enhance cooperation under the frameworks of the Global Development Initiative, the Global Security Initiative, the Global Civilization Initiative, and the Global Governance Initiative, make the global governance system more just and equitable, and join hands to build a community with a shared future for humanity.

Pakistan commended China’s efforts to safeguard developing countries’ right to sustainable development.

The two sides expressed satisfaction over their cooperation within multilateral mechanisms such as the UN and the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO), and agreed to deepen coordination and collaboration to safeguard the common interests of developing countries and international fairness and justice.

The two nations reaffirmed their commitment to the purposes and principles of the U.N. Charter, their support for multilateralism and free trade, and their opposition to hegemonism, bullying behaviours violating the national sovereignty of other countries, the forming of “small circles” and bloc confrontation.

The two sides expressed readiness to continue leveraging the China-Afghanistan-Pakistan Trilateral Foreign Ministers’ Dialogue and the China-Bangladesh-Pakistan cooperation mechanism to deliver new outcomes.

The two sides reaffirmed their unyielding support for each other on issues concerning their respective core interests. Pakistan reaffirmed its firm commitment to the one-China principle, and reiterated that Taiwan is an inalienable part of China’s territory.

Pakistan firmly supports China on issues concerning Xinjiang, Xizang, Hong Kong, and the South China Sea. China reiterated its steadfast support for Pakistan in safeguarding its sovereignty, independence and territorial integrity.

The two sides called for an unconditional, comprehensive, and permanent ceasefire in Gaza, and reaffirmed their support for the Palestinian people’s right to self-determination and for the implementation of the two-state solution with the establishment of an independent state of Palestine.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2026