The Taliban-led Afghan government has called for “mutual respect and constructive engagement” in its relations with Pakistan and China, according to a statement from the country’s Interior Ministry following a high-level trilateral meeting in Kabul.
The statement was issued after Afghan Interior Minister Sirajuddin Haqqani hosted Pakistan’s special envoy Mohammad Sadiq and China’s special envoy Yue Xiaoyong. The trilateral platform, launched in 2017, has previously convened in both Kabul and Beijing.
Minister Haqqani emphasized the significance of fostering regional partnerships, stating that the Islamic Emirate believes that stronger economic and political ties — as well as enhanced regional understanding — can be achieved through mutual respect and positive dialogue.
The Chinese and Pakistani envoys reiterated their commitment to strengthening neighborly relations and deepening cooperation with Afghanistan. They also agreed to proceed with preparations for the sixth round of the trilateral foreign ministers’ dialogue, which will take place in Kabul.
Ambassador Sadiq, in a post on X (formerly Twitter), said the meeting aimed to follow up on the fifth round of trilateral talks held in Islamabad, and to pave the way for enhanced three-way collaboration in both political and economic spheres. He underlined a shared commitment to regional peace, mutual engagement, and respectful cooperation.
Meeting with Afghan Foreign Minister
In a separate engagement, Afghan Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi met with the visiting delegations from Pakistan and China. According to the Afghan Foreign Ministry, discussions centered on continuing the agenda from the fifth round of the foreign ministers’ dialogue, which took place in Islamabad in May 2023.
That meeting had emphasized the importance of preventing any group — including the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) and the Eastern Turkistan Islamic Movement (ETIM) — from using Afghan territory to threaten regional stability or engage in terrorist activities.
While the upcoming sixth round of dialogue is confirmed to be held in Kabul, no date has yet been announced. FM Muttaqi expressed hope for sustained progress in political and economic cooperation with both neighbors.
Ambassador Sadiq later noted that the gathering helped align views on regional stability, economic collaboration, and security coordination.
Talks with Afghan Commerce Minister
Earlier, the Chinese and Pakistani delegations also met with Afghanistan’s Minister of Commerce and Industry, Nooruddin Azizi. Discussions focused on strengthening trade ties, attracting foreign investment, and launching joint projects between the three nations.
The meeting covered initiatives such as the creation of joint industrial parks and special economic zones, the launch of export processing centers, organizing trilateral trade fairs, and improving support for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). Improving banking cooperation among the three countries was also on the agenda.
Minister Azizi welcomed the participation of high-ranking Chinese and Pakistani representatives and stressed the Islamic Emirate’s focus on economic development. He reaffirmed the government’s commitment to creating an environment conducive to foreign investment based on mutual interests.
Azizi extended a formal invitation to his Pakistani and Chinese counterparts to visit Afghanistan to further explore avenues for collaboration.
