‘Iron-Clad Brothers': Pakistan Hails China Ties After Meeting Xi Jinping at SCO Summit
Pakistan Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar met Chinese President Xi Jinping on the sidelines of the SCO Summit in Tianjin.
Pakistan's foreign minister and deputy prime minister Ishaq Dar on Tuesday described China as his country's 'iron-clad brother" after a meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping in Beijing. Dar's post on X came after Xi's joint interaction with the foreign ministers and delegation heads of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) member states.
Dar said he was 'delighted" to meet Xi at the Great Hall of the People and conveyed greetings from Pakistan's leadership, government, and people. 'As iron-clad brothers and all-weather strategic cooperative partners, we remain committed to deepening Pak-China enduring friendship and advancing shared regional goals," Dar wrote.
His remarks came a day after India's external affairs minister S. Jaishankar met senior Chinese leaders, including his counterpart Wang Yi and President Xi, during the SCO engagements in Beijing. While both sides spoke of keeping India-China differences from turning into disputes, India has, in recent weeks, sharpened its stance on China's backing of Pakistan, especially in the context of Operation Sindoor against terror camps.
Delighted to meet earlier today with President Xi Jinping at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing. Conveyed the warm greetings of the leadership, government and people of Pakistan. As iron-clad brothers and All-Weather Strategic Cooperative Partners, we remain committed to… pic.twitter.com/CKU6vnmHpJ — Ishaq Dar (@MIshaqDar50) July 15, 2025
Lieutenant General Rahul R. Singh, India's Deputy Chief of Army Staff (Capability Development & Sustenance), warned that during Operation Sindoor, India confronted not just one but three adversaries on its western border.
He revealed that China provided Pakistan with real‑time intelligence effectively turning Pakistan into a 'live weapons laboratory" for Chinese systems.
Singh noted that 81% of Pakistan's military hardware is Chinese, adding Turkey-supported drone deployments to the mix as a third challenge.
China currently holds the rotating presidency of the 10-member SCO, which includes India, China, Russia, Iran, Pakistan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan and Belarus. During his address at the joint meeting in Tianjin, Xi stressed the importance of regional cooperation under the SCO framework.
After the Beijing meeting, Dar and other foreign ministers travelled to Tianjin, where bilateral talks were held on the sidelines. 'Always good to exchange views for strengthening regional understanding and cooperation in such a challenging time," Dar posted on X.
On the margins of the SCO events, Dar also met his counterparts from Kyrgyzstan, Kazakhstan, Iran, Uzbekistan and Belarus, news agency PTI reported.
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