New Delhi: In a trilateral meeting held in Beijing, the foreign ministers of China, Pakistan, and Afghanistan agreed to expand the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) to Afghanistan as part of broader efforts to enhance regional cooperation and connectivity.
The meeting, attended by Pakistan’s Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi, and Afghanistan’s acting Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi, focused on strengthening diplomatic ties and promoting trade, infrastructure, and development.
According to Reuters, the three nations also pledged to advance their collaboration under China’s Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), with a special focus on integrating Afghanistan into CPEC.
Following the talks, Dar posted on social media platform X, reaffirming the countries’ shared commitment to “regional peace, stability, and development.” His trip to Beijing marks his first significant diplomatic engagement since rising tensions with India.
Pakistan’s Foreign Ministry later announced that the 6th Trilateral Foreign Ministers’ Meeting will be hosted in Kabul soon, at a date convenient to all sides. The ministry emphasized the enduring friendship among the three nations and their unified vision for global and regional progress.
China said that Pakistan and Afghanistan “clearly expressed” their willingness to upgrade their diplomatic ties.
The two countries “agreed in principle” to send ambassadors to each other’s countries soon, Reuters reported, citing Chinese Foreign Minister Wang.
“China welcomes this and is willing to continue providing assistance for the improvement of Afghanistan-Pakistan relations,” he said, according to a Chinese foreign ministry statement.
China, Pakistan and Afghanistan have also decided to hold a trilateral foreign ministers’ dialogue in Kabul as soon as possible.
“They agreed to deepen Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) cooperation and extend the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) to Afghanistan,” the statement added.
India has consistently opposed CPEC, especially its expansion into other countries, citing concerns over territorial sovereignty.
The Indian Ministry of External Affairs has previously stated that such projects violate India’s claims in Jammu and Kashmir, a region through which parts of the corridor pass.
CPEC is a flagship component of China’s Belt and Road Initiative, intended to revamp trade infrastructure across South and Southeast Asia.
