The commission held its inaugural meeting at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Islamabad, co-chaired by Li Ya, Deputy Director General of China’s Department of Boundary and Ocean Affairs, and Bilal Mahmood Chaudhry, Director General for China Affairs at Pakistan’s Foreign Office.
According to the Foreign Office, the commission will provide a platform for coordination on border management, trade, joint surveys and people-to-people contacts.
The mechanism was established under a 2013 agreement between Pakistan and China on border management but has now been formally activated. It will facilitate coordination on the maintenance of border markers, management of cross-border facilities, joint assessments and other practical matters.
Officials said the initiative could further improve cooperation related to movement and trade through the Khunjerab Pass, as well as matters linked to the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC).
The two countries clarified that the new commission does not concern any border dispute. Instead, it is intended to manage the already defined boundary and address practical issues through institutionalised coordination.