Beijing's trademark Belt and Road initiative will be expanded into Afghan territory

China, Pakistan, and Afghanistan will enhance trilateral cooperation in various sectors, including trade and security, the Pakistani Foreign Ministry said in a statement on Wednesday. 

The statement was posted on X after informal talks in Beijing between Pakistani Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi, and Afghanistan's Acting Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi on Wednesday. 

"The three Foreign Ministers reaffirmed trilateral cooperation as a vital platform to promote regional security and economic connectivity," the Pakistani ministry said. "They discussed enhancing diplomatic engagement, strengthening communications, and taking practical steps to boost trade, infrastructure, and development as key drivers of shared prosperity." 

Islamabad and Beijing have also agreed to expand China's global infrastructure development program, the Belt and Road Initiative, to Afghanistan through the China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC).

Earlier this month, the Taliban-led Afghan government issued a statement through its Interior Ministry, calling for "mutual respect and constructive engagement" with both Pakistan and China. 

Before Wednesday's trilateral meeting, Dar held separate talks with Wang, in which the Chinese Foreign Minister called Pakistan an "iron-clad friend" and "all-weather strategic partner." 

The Pakistani Foreign Ministry said that the two countries agreed to enhance cooperation in various sectors, including trade, investment, agriculture, and industrialization, in addition to maintaining regular communication. China had said on Tuesday that it supports Pakistan in defending its "national sovereignty and territorial integrity."

Pakistan's overtures towards China and Afghanistan come in the wake of a brief military confrontation with India that ended in a ceasefire on May 10. During the four-day clash in South Asia in May, Beijing, which has traditionally enjoyed warm relations with Islamabad, had called on both sides to de-escalate. 

Hours before India and Pakistan agreed to the ceasefire, Wang called Indian National Security Adviser Ajit Doval and expressed hope that New Delhi and Islamabad "would remain calm and restrained, properly handle differences through dialogue and consultation and avoid escalating the situation." 

On Monday, an official from a think tank affiliated with the Indian Defense Ministry told Bloomberg that China had provided Pakistan with air defense and satellite support during the recent military standoff in South Asia.