China Mediates Improvement of Pakistan-Afghanistan Relations... "Agreement to Elevate Diplomatic Ties"

China has stepped in to support the normalization of relations between Afghanistan and Pakistan, whose relationship has recently deteriorated significantly.

According to the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs on May 21, Wang Yi, Director of the Office of the Central Foreign Affairs Commission of the Chinese Communist Party, held an informal meeting in Beijing with Amir Khan Muttaqi, Acting Foreign Minister of Afghanistan, and Ishaq Dar, Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister of Pakistan.

The King and Director of the International Liaison Department of the Central Committee of the Chinese Communist Party Reuters Yonhap News

The Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs stated, "The foreign ministers of the three countries positively evaluated the achievements of the trilateral dialogue, and exchanged views on further tapping the potential of the trilateral mechanism and deepening mutually beneficial cooperation." The ministry added, "China supports Afghanistan and Pakistan in pursuing development paths suited to their national circumstances, and in safeguarding their sovereignty, security, and national dignity."

Director Wang Yi said, "Afghanistan and Pakistan have agreed to elevate the level of diplomatic relations and have, in principle, agreed to dispatch ambassadors to each other as soon as possible." He added, "China welcomes this and is willing to continue assisting in the improvement of relations between Afghanistan and Pakistan."

He also stated that the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor, which is part of the land and maritime Silk Road connecting China, Central Asia, and Europe, will be expanded into Afghanistan to strengthen regional connectivity. Additionally, China and Pakistan agreed to increase trade with Afghanistan to help enhance Afghanistan's capacity for independent economic development.

Director Wang Yi emphasized, "The three countries oppose all forms of terrorism, will carry out law enforcement and security cooperation, and will jointly target terrorist groups of mutual concern." He also stressed, "We will remain vigilant against and prevent external forces from interfering in the internal affairs of regional countries." He added that the three countries would utilize the trilateral foreign ministers' dialogue mechanism to convene the sixth trilateral foreign ministers' meeting in Kabul, Afghanistan, as soon as possible.

Previously, Pakistan and Afghanistan, both "Islamic brother countries" and neighbors sharing borders with each other and with China, had seen their relations deteriorate significantly in recent years. Currently, the Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), which seeks to overthrow the Pakistani government and establish a state governed by Sharia (Islamic law), is active in Pakistan. Pakistan is conducting operations to eliminate the TTP. Pakistan suspects that the Taliban, who control Afghanistan, are assisting the TTP by providing them with safe havens.