China, Pakistan discuss ties with Afghanistan

ISLAMABAD: Chinese Special Envoy on Afghan Affairs Ambassador Yue Xiaoyong, who is visiting Pakistan currently, called on Foreign Secretary Amna Baloch here on Monday.

He also held detailed consultations with Additional Foreign Secretary (Afghanistan & West Asia) Ambassador Ahmad Naseem Warraich. “The two sides exchanged views on relations with Afghanistan. They reaffirmed the vital role of neighbouring countries for a peaceful and stable Afghanistan,” said the Foreign Office in a release here. Though the FO did not reveal details of the deliberations taking place on Monday, terror threats from Afghanistan to the region had been a matter of concern for both countries.

Islamabad and Beijing maintain that Afghanistan should be supported in addressing both the symptoms and root-causes of terrorism and in eradicating it as soon as possible. At the Moscow Format talks earlier this month, both China and Pakistan, according to the joint statement, expressed concern about the presence and activities of terrorist groups in Afghanistan, stating that they continue to pose a threat to global security.

They called on the Taliban to take “visible and verifiable” actions in fulfilling its international obligations to combat terrorism and prevent Afghanistan from being used against other countries.

Meanwhile, in an interview to the Beijing Club, before he left for Islamabad, Yue acknowledged the Taliban’s control of Afghanistan, referred to the group as “the reality of Afghanistan”, noting their stability and authority across the country.

“As Afghanistan’s neighbours, regional partners, and a responsible member of the international community, we must work together to support peace, stability, and reconstruction in Afghanistan,” Yue said. He also expressed concerns shared by many nations about the security threats posed by terrorism in Taliban-led Afghanistan.