Pakistan and China have agreed to maintain ongoing communication on maritime issues, strengthen coordination and cooperation on maritime policies, and continue to deepen both bilateral and multilateral cooperation in the maritime domain.

This agreement was reached between Pakistan and China during the Fifth Round of the Pakistan-China Dialogue on Maritime Cooperation held in Beijing on April 15, the Foreign Office said in a joint press release here on Wednesday.

The dialogue was co-chaired by Additional Secretary (Asia-Pacific) of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Pakistan, Imran Ahmed Siddiqui, and Director General of the Department of Boundary and Ocean Affairs of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the People’s Republic of China, Hong Liang.

The two sides positively reviewed the progress of their cooperation since the fourth round of the dialogue. They engaged in in-depth discussions on maritime security, marine economy, marine science and technology, and the marine environment, reaching broad consensus on various issues.

Both sides reaffirmed that high-level maritime cooperation is a crucial component of the All-weather Strategic Cooperative Partnership between Pakistan and China. They are committed to jointly building a Pakistan-China maritime community with a shared future.

The two sides also agreed to hold the Sixth Round of the Pakistan-China Dialogue on Maritime Cooperation in Pakistan at an appropriate time next year.