Pakistan, China and Afghanistan will meet to assess follow-up from May’s informal dialogue held in Beijing and address pressing regional concerns during a high-level trilateral meeting scheduled to take place August 20 in Kabul. ([turn0search0])
What to Expect
At the sixth China-Afghanistan-Pakistan Trilateral Foreign Ministers’ Dialogue, Afghanistan’s Acting Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi will meet with Pakistan Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar and China Foreign Minister Wang Yi. ([turn0search3]turn0search6])
Their conversations should focus on:
Counterterrorism cooperation aimed at preventing militant groups such as TTP and ETIM from using any country’s territory for cross-border attacks ([turn0search6]).
Expanding China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) to include Afghanistan aims at further regional development and economic integration. ([turn0search26]).
Diplomatic Momentum and Challenges
This meeting comes against a backdrop of shifting regional dynamics. Early this month, Muttaqi’s proposed visit to Pakistan was officially cancelled citing technical reasons; however sources confirmed UN Security Council blocked his trip because he is listed on Taliban sanctions lists ([turn0search0]). This highlights Afghanistan’s delicate diplomatic balance.
Pakistan and Afghanistan have recently begun to rebalance their relations. Pakistani Foreign Minister Dar’s April visit to Kabul marked an opening after years of tensions.([turn0search28]) Taliban officials also made public their refusal for Afghan territory to be used against its neighbors – something in line with trilateral meeting security priorities([turn0search6]).
China’s growing influence in the region can also be seen through its role as mediator. Beijing is a longstanding trading partner and supporter of Kabul’s de facto government; since 2013, Beijing has intensified its shuttle diplomacy through forums like Shanghai Cooperation Organization Contact Group as well as joint mechanisms such as Quadrilateral Coordination Group or this trilateral platform ([turn0search26]).
Analysts see Kabul meeting as an important diplomatic gesture amid persistent regional unrest. Political commentator Kamran Aman described it as being good from a diplomatic point of view while still raising Afghan concerns regarding Pakistan’s consistent behaviour([turn0search3]).
Wahid Faqiri, another Afghan analyst, observed that China is endeavoring to position itself as an agent of peace able to mitigate tensions–this effort being in Beijing’s strategic interest. Najib-ur-Rahman Shumal shared this opinion and expressed hope that dialogue might help resolve long-standing issues through diplomatic channels.([turn0search3])
Next Steps
Following the Kabul gathering, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi will travel to Pakistan on August 21, and announce plans for continued engagement on regional cooperation and development projects. ([turn0search0]).
Why It Matters
The trilateral meeting is more than symbolic: it serves as a practical platform for shaping regional security, trade integration and political alignment amid shifting geopolitical currents. Kabul will host these strategic dialogues; their outcomes could have real repercussions–from curbing militant cross-border threats to creating future economic networks linked to Afghanistan via China-Pakistan Economic Corridor or CPEC.