Amid India Pakistan tensions, China actively working to help Afghanistan strengthen ties with…, Taliban has accepted offer to…

Amid rising tensions with India, China is actively working to strengthen its ties with both Pakistan and the Taliban in Afghanistan. In a recent move encouraged by China, Pakistan appointed a special envoy for Afghanistan. This envoy, Mohammad Sadiq Khan, recently visited Kabul and met with his Chinese counterpart. During the visit, the two diplomats offered Afghanistan a proposal to join China’s ambitious Belt and Road Initiative (BRI). Reports suggest that the Taliban has accepted the offer, paving the way for the BRI’s expansion into Afghan territory for the first time.

China and Pakistan hold talks with top Taliban leader

On Sunday, the first in a series of trilateral meetings took place in Kabul, where representatives from China, Pakistan, and the Taliban-led Afghan government met face-to-face. The meeting was held at the Afghan Ministry of Interior and included senior officials such as Afghanistan’s acting Interior Minister, Khalifa Sirajuddin Haqqani, China’s special envoy Yue Xiaoyong, and Pakistan’s envoy Mohammad Sadiq, along with their respective delegations.

This meeting followed discussions held during the fifth round of trilateral talks between the foreign ministers of the three nations. The purpose was to review those discussions, prepare for the upcoming sixth round, and explore ways to deepen political and economic cooperation between China, Pakistan, and the Taliban government.

What Haqqani said during the meeting

During the meeting, Afghanistan’s acting Interior Minister Sirajuddin Haqqani emphasized the importance of strengthening regional ties. He stated that from Kabul’s perspective, building economic and political relations as well as enhancing regional understanding can be achieved through mutual respect and constructive engagement.

Both Chinese and Pakistani envoys echoed this sentiment. They reaffirmed their commitment to fostering closer ties with Afghanistan based on good neighborly relations and continued engagement. The three sides also agreed that the sixth round of the trilateral talks between their foreign ministers will be hosted in Kabul.

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