ISLAMABAD: Pakistan and China have operationalised a long-pending joint mechanism for managing their common border, with Islamabad describing the move as a significant milestone that will strengthen coordination on border management, trade and cross-border connectivity.
The inaugural meeting of the Pakistan-China Boundary Joint Commission was held at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Islamabad on Wednesday, the Foreign Office said.
The meeting was co-chaired by Li Ya, deputy director general of the Department of Boundary and Ocean Affairs at China’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and Bilal Mahmood Chaudhary, director general for China at Pakistan’s Foreign Office.
In a significant milestone for Pakistan- China relations, the two sides today operationalized the Pakistan-China Boundary Joint Commission, setting the stage for enhanced cooperation in border management, joint border surveys, trade flows and people to people connectivity.
The… pic.twitter.com/q5uNn8qpN0
— Ministry of Foreign Affairs – Pakistan (@ForeignOfficePk) September 16, 2026
The Foreign Office said the commission’s operationalisation would provide a framework for enhanced cooperation on border management, joint border surveys, trade flows and people-to-people connectivity.
2013 Agreement
The commission was established under the 2013 Agreement on the Boundary Management System, signed during the visit of then Chinese Premier Li Keqiang to Islamabad.
Article 45 of the agreement provides for the establishment of a joint commission to oversee the implementation of the border management arrangements.
The mechanism is intended to provide an institutional framework for addressing practical issues along the border, including maintenance and inspection, joint surveys, boundary markers, cross-border facilities and incidents involving the border.
The commission is also expected to support coordination along the Khunjerab crossing and facilitate trade and connectivity associated with the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor.
The new commission is separate from the Joint Boundary Demarcation Commission established under the Sino-Pakistan Boundary Agreement of March 2, 1963.
The earlier body had a specific mandate to conduct surveys, establish boundary markers, prepare detailed maps and determine the alignment of the boundary.
Its work concluded following the signing of the protocol and maps, completing the demarcation process.
The 1963 agreement was signed in Beijing by Pakistan’s then foreign minister Zulfikar Ali Bhutto and Chinese Foreign Minister Chen Yi.
The 2013 agreement, by contrast, established a continuing mechanism for managing the already demarcated boundary and addressing practical matters involving border markers and cross-border infrastructure.
Under the agreement, if a boundary marker cannot be restored at its original location, the joint commission can determine another suitable location without altering the boundary line.
