Kabul to host Chinese, Pakistani top diplomats for trilateral talks

By Aamir Latif

KARACHI, Pakistan (AA) - Top diplomats of China, Pakistan and Afghanistan are set to meet for a trilateral summit in Kabul on Wednesday to discuss political, regional and economic cooperation among the three countries, the Afghan Foreign Ministry said on Tuesday.

During the meeting, "comprehensive discussions will be held on a range of diplomatic topics, including political, regional and economic cooperation," Hafiz Zia Ahmad, a spokesman for Kabul's Foreign Ministry, said in a post on US social media company X.

Beijing will be represented by Foreign Minister Wang Yi, while Islamabad and Kabul will be represented by their respective top diplomats Ishaq Dar and Amir Khan Muttaqi, respectively.

An official at Afghanistan's Information Ministry also confirmed the development to Anadolu, as there was no official announcement from Beijing and Islamabad regarding the summit.

It is the first such multilateral diplomatic development for the interim Taliban administration, which has only been recognized by Russia since the Taliban's return to power in August 2021.

Wang is currently on a trip to South Asia, where he visited India and will also travel to Pakistan.

The last round of trilateral talks between China, Pakistan and Afghanistan was held in China in May.

Neither Beijing nor Islamabad formally recognizes the interim administration, but both nations have posted their ambassadors in Kabul and have received Afghan envoys in their capitals.

According to the Afghan Information Ministry official, Wednesday’s meeting is expected to cover counterterrorism cooperation, regional connectivity, peace, development and trade.

During his stay, the official added, Wang will also meet with senior Afghan government officials to discuss bilateral cooperation.