ISLAMABAD (special crosspondent) – Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Senator Ishaq Dar on Friday concluded a two-day official visit to Shanghai, China, expressing his sincere appreciation to the Chinese leadership for their warm hospitality and the excellent arrangements provided during his stay. Reflecting on the engagement, the Deputy Prime Minister noted, “Just concluded a productive visit to Shanghai, China. I express my sincere appreciation to the Government of the People’s Republic of China and its leadership for its warm hospitality and excellent arrangements throughout my short visit.”

Commitment to Artificial Intelligence Governance

During his visit, Senator Dar attended the World AI Cooperation Organization (WAICO) summit, where he spoke on the importance of global AI standards. He commended Chinese President Xi Jinping for his insightful keynote address at the opening ceremony, where the President observed that artificial intelligence is an invaluable asset representing the collective wisdom of humanity. Senator Dar highlighted this as a timely reminder that such transformative technology carries both immense promise and a shared responsibility to ensure it serves the common good.

Bilateral Strengthening and CPEC Progress

The Deputy Prime Minister held a productive meeting with Foreign Minister Wang Yi to discuss regional cooperation. Following his recent engagement where Senator Dar traveled to China for WAICO, the two sides reaffirmed their shared commitment to the continued advancement of the Pakistan–China All-Weather Strategic Cooperative Partnership. Discussions centered on high-quality development under CPEC 2.0, with a specific focus on the Siah Diq mining project, the Karakoram Highway (KKH) Realignment Project, and other priority areas of bilateral cooperation established during Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s visit in May 2025.

Delegation and Future Engagements

Senator Dar acknowledged the contributions of his delegation, which included Minister for Information Technology and Telecommunications Shaza Fatima Khawaja, Adviser to Chief Minister of Punjab on Artificial Intelligence and Special Initiatives Ali Mustafa Dar, Chairman of the Pakistan Virtual Assets Regulatory Authority (PVARA) Bilal Bin Saqib, and Additional Secretary (Asia Pacific) Dr. Syed Asad Ali Gillani. After commending the Pakistan Mission and the Shanghai consulate for their coordination, the Deputy Prime Minister stated he is returning to Islamabad to prepare for an intensive week of upcoming diplomatic engagements and national official responsibilities.