Islamabad, 18 August

China's Foreign Minister Wang Yi will arrive in Islamabad this week to attend the Pakistan-China strategic dialogue and hold meetings with the civil and military leadership to discuss bilateral ties as well as key regional and international developments, a media report said on Monday.

The top Chinese diplomat will undertake a two-day visit beginning on 21 August, The Express Tribune newspaper reported, citing official sources.

In Islamabad, Wang will review the current state of bilateral ties between the two countries and discuss key regional and international developments, the paper said.

His visit comes against the backdrop of a host of developments, including the India-Pakistan four-day conflict in May, the Iran-Israel war in June and the recent warming of ties between Pakistan and the United States.

Given the current geostrategic environment, both sides are expected to explore ways to deepen cooperation, the paper said.

During Wang's visit, the agenda of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif's upcoming trip to China is also expected to be finalised, it added.

Sharif is likely to travel later this month to attend the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Summit and hold bilateral meetings with the Chinese leadership.