The Foreign Ministers of China, Afghanistan, and Pakistan agreed on extending Beijing’s Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) cooperation and expanding the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) to Afghanistan.
The decision taken following the trilateral talks aimed is at strengthening the regional cooperation.
Member of the CPC Political Bureau and Foreign Minister of the People’s Republic of China, Wang Yi, and Acting Foreign Minister of Afghanistan, Amir Khan Muttaqi, along with Deputy Prime Minister/Foreign Minister of Pakistan, Senator Mohammad Ishaq Dar, held an informal trilateral meeting here, said the statement released by Pakistan’s Minister’s Office.
The three foreign ministers met and reaffirmed the trilateral cooperation as a crucial platform to promote dialogue and economic connectivity.
The discussion was aimed at enhancing the diplomatic engagement, strengthening communications, and taking steps to increase trade and development.
The most important discussion revolved around counter-terrorism and fostering stability in the region that has been marred by decades-old violence. Pakistan is facing a resurgent terror threat from Proxies like Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) and the Baloch Liberation Army (BLA) from the Afghanistan side.
Afghanistan is also facing threats from one of the world’s deadliest terror organisations, the Islamic State Khorasan Province (ISKP).
This comes at a time when India and Pakistan recently engaged in fierce cross-border confrontations after the April 22 attack.
The visit is also significant for the fact that China has extended its full backing for Islamabad, which has raised geopolitical tensions in the region. The undeclared agenda of the meeting, according to experts, is Pakistan signing new defence pacts with Beijing.
The two have signed several deals where Pakistan will receive the latest defence procurement, including the long-medium and long-range air defence systems to counter India’s Supersonic cruise missile Brahmos, which damaged parts of Nur Khan air base.
According to Prawin Sawhney, a well-respected defence analyst in India, in his podcast, “Pakistan is scaling up its defence procurement at a large level, signalling that in the next 6-8 months, Islamabad might seek a military adventure with India.”
He said, “There are growing threats for India from a Pakistan-China unified reinforced front that could leave New Delhi at a serious disadvantage in case of a potential conflict.
Additionally, China is putting pressure on Arunachal Pradesh and also building air bases in Bangladesh close to the Siliguri corridor, which leaves India’s weak point, “Chicken's neck in serious trouble”.
In any case, New Delhi cannot turn its eyes away from what’s happening at the trilateral talks between Afghanistan, China, and Pakistan.
Concluding his three-day official visit to China, Dar described the visit as highly productive and marked by significant diplomatic progress.
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