Pakistan, China and Afghanistan on Wednesday agreed to extend the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) to Kabul, marking a significant step in regional connectivity and trilateral cooperation.
The announcement came during the 6th Trilateral Foreign Ministers Dialogue held in Kabul, attended by Pakistan Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi, and Afghanistan’s acting Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi. Discussions centred on political, economic and security collaboration.
Pakistan’s Foreign Office stated on X that the three countries “committed to strengthen joint efforts against terrorism” and “reaffirmed their commitment to deepening collaboration in trade, transit, regional development, health, education, culture, and combating drug trafficking, as well as, extension of CPEC to Afghanistan.”
The trilateral agreement coincides with the upcoming launch of CPEC’s second phase, expected during Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s visit to China for the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) summit later this month.
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“This is the first visit by the Chinese foreign minister to Afghanistan since the Taliban came to power in 2021, and the third by Dar to Kabul since April,” the Foreign Office noted, highlighting China’s role in easing tensions between Pakistan and Afghanistan.
In bilateral talks, Dar expressed concerns over an “increase in terrorist attacks” in Pakistan by outfits operating from Afghan soil. The extension of CPEC to Afghanistan was first agreed upon during the last trilateral meeting in May in Beijing to strengthen “trilateral” cooperation.
India has criticised CPEC’s expansion, as the project passes through Pakistan-occupied Kashmir. New Delhi also opposes China’s broader Belt and Road Initiative, citing sovereignty concerns.
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