China shows ‘full support’ for Pakistan-led peace negotiations between Iran and US

In a significant diplomatic engagement on Tuesday (Apr 21), the Chinese Ambassador to Pakistan, Jiang Zaidong, called on Pakistan’s Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister, Mohammad Ishaq Dar. The meeting took place at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in capital, Islamabad. The meeting underscores the "All-Weather Strategic Cooperative Partnership" between the two countries, which comes against the backdrop of critical regional shifts in West Asia and evolving economic priorities under CPEC 2.0. As on April 10, Pakistani Consul General in Shanghai, Shehzad Ahmad Khan, invited Chinese enterprises to focus on agriculture, textiles, renewable energy, communication technology and consumer goods manufacturing

After the meeting, the ministry in a social post, released a statement which read: “Discussions focused on the latest regional developments. Amb Zaidong conveyed China’s full support for and appreciation of Pakistan’s continued efforts to facilitate engagement between the US and Iran for sustained peace and stability in the region and beyond.”

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“DPM/FM reaffirmed the Pakistan–China All-Weather Strategic Cooperative Partnership, underscored the strength of bilateral ties, and emphasised the importance of sustained high-level exchanges between the two countries,” it added. A primary focus of the discussion was Pakistan’s emerging role as a diplomatic bridge. Ambassador Jiang expressed Beijing’s support and appreciation for Islamabad’s efforts to facilitate engagement between the United States and Iran. With Pakistan currently hosting high-level talks aimed at de-escalating tensions in the Gulf, China’s endorsement serves as a vital strategic cushion.

The second round of peace talks in Islamabad comes at a time when Donald Trump signalled a defiant and ambitious shift in US foreign policy, asserting that a nascent agreement currently being negotiated with Tehran will be "far better" than the 2015 Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA). In a characteristic broadside against his predecessors, the US president labelled the original nuclear deal, penned during the Obama-Biden administration, as "one of the worst deals ever made" regarding American national security.