Pak, China FMs in Kabul for Key Trilateral Dialogue Today

Afghanistan is hosting a key trilateral meeting today, bringing together the foreign ministers of Pakistan and China for discussions on counter-terrorism, regional trade, and connectivity.

According to the Afghan foreign ministry, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi and Pakistan’s Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar arrived in Kabul on Tuesday to join Afghan Acting Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi for the day-long dialogue. The talks are expected to focus on extending the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) to Afghanistan, reviewing security cooperation, and strengthening regional integration.

“The participants will exchange views on the future of relations based on shared interests, mutual understanding, and broad-based cooperation,” the ministry said. This marks the first time Afghanistan has hosted such a meeting since the Taliban takeover in 2021.

Wang is also scheduled to meet senior Taliban leaders separately to discuss political and economic cooperation. The last trilateral session between the three countries took place in Beijing in May 2024.

Following the Kabul dialogue, Wang Yi will travel to Islamabad on Thursday to co-chair the sixth Pakistan-China Foreign Ministers’ Strategic Dialogue alongside Dar. The two sides are expected to review bilateral cooperation, expand economic and trade links, and reaffirm their joint commitment to regional peace and stability.

The Foreign Office, in a statement, described the visit as part of the “regular high-level exchanges between Pakistan and China to deepen their All-Weather Strategic Cooperative Partnership.” It added that the dialogue would also underscore mutual support on core national interests and cooperation in key sectors, including agriculture, mining, industry, and security.

The previous round of the strategic dialogue was held in Beijing in May 2024. Last month, Dar and Wang also met on the sidelines of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization summit, where they agreed to step up collaboration in trade and development projects.