China, Pakistan vow to make 'positive contributions' for peace in Middle East

China and Pakistan on Tuesday pledged to make a "positive contribution" for peace and stability in the Middle East as efforts continue to secure a lasting end to the war between the US and Iran.

In a joint statement after Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s four-day visit to China and meetings with President Xi Jinping, Premier Li Qiang and other officials, Beijing praised Islamabad’s efforts to promote multilateralism, peaceful dispute resolution and regional cooperation during its July 2025 UN Security Council presidency.

"Pakistani side expressed support for the four propositions by President Xi Jinping on safeguarding and promoting peace and stability in the Middle East," it said.

China appreciated Pakistan’s efforts in facilitating the temporary ceasefire between the US and Iran and holding the Islamabad talks.

Both sides also reiterated early implementation of the five-point initiative for restoring peace and stability in the Gulf and Middle East region and expressed their readiness to jointly make positive contributions for the early restoration of peace and stability in the region.

Regional tensions boiled over Feb. 28 when the US and Israel launched attacks on Iran, prompting Tehran to retaliate with barrages of drones and missiles that hit targets across the region as Tehran shuttered the Strait of Hormuz.

A ceasefire took effect on April 8 through Pakistani mediation, but talks in Islamabad failed to produce a lasting agreement. Trump later extended the truce indefinitely while maintaining a blockade on vessels traveling to or from Iranian ports through the strategic waterway. Last week, he said the deal has been "largely negotiated" and awaits finalization.

According to the statement, Pakistan also said that Islamabad firmly supports all efforts by China to achieve national reunification and resolutely opposes any form of “Taiwan independence.”

Coordination on Afghanistan

Pakistan and China have agreed to maintain close coordination on developments in Afghanistan and strengthen cooperation on regional security issues, according to the statement.

The Pakistani side welcomed the successful holding of informal talks among China, Afghanistan, and Pakistan in Urumqi last month, and appreciated China’s role in providing a dialogue platform to facilitate communication between Islamabad and Kabul.

Both sides agreed to remain in close contact and continue coordination on Afghanistan-related matters and stressed that no individual, group, or organization should be allowed to use any territory to undermine security or threaten the interests of regional countries.