Afghanistan, Pakistan laud China's mediation

Afghanistan and Pakistan have expressed "deep appreciation" for China's mediation efforts, describing Beijing as fair, impartial and fully committed, after seven days of informal talks in Urumqi, the Foreign Ministry says.

At a regular news briefing on Wednesday, ministry spokeswoman Mao Ning said representatives from the three countries met in Urumqi, capital of the Xinjiang Uygur autonomous region, from April 1 to 7. The three delegations included officials from diplomatic, defense and security departments.

Mao said that the Afghan and Pakistani sides reaffirmed, in line with the purposes and principles of the United Nations Charter and the Five Principles of Peaceful Coexistence, their commitment to resolving differences as soon as possible and putting bilateral ties back on track. They also agreed not to take actions that could escalate tensions or further complicate the situation.

Both sides spoke highly of China's Global Security Initiative and its security vision, particularly the emphasis on seeking common ground while shelving differences, treating all parties as equals, and resolving disputes peacefully through dialogue and consultation, she said.

China will continue to maintain communication with both sides, provide a platform for dialogue, and play a constructive role in improving Afghanistan-Pakistan relations and advancing practical trilateral cooperation, she added.

The three sides reached a series of consensuses during the talks, Mao said. They agreed to explore a comprehensive approach to addressing the problems affecting Afghanistan-Pakistan relations, with China stressing that terrorism is the central issue affecting the neighbors' ties.

All three sides agreed that the Urumqi process carries substantive significance and should remain a channel for continued communication and dialogue.

They also agreed that, amid a volatile regional and international landscape, good, neighborly relations between Afghanistan and Pakistan are vital not only to the peoples of the two countries but also to the peace and stability in South Asia.

The Urumqi talks followed months of tensions between Afghanistan and Pakistan. Border skirmishes and airstrikes have continued since February.

Defusing tensions

In recent weeks, China has used its own channels to help defuse tensions. Foreign Minister Wang Yi spoke separately by phone on March 10 with Pakistani Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Mohammad Ishaq Dar and on March 13 with Afghan counterpart Mawlawi Amir Khan Muttaqi.

The special envoy on Afghan affairs has shuttled between the two countries to promote peace talks, while Chinese embassies in both nations have remained in close communication with the two sides.

Liu Zongyi, director of the Center for South Asia Studies at the Shanghai Institutes for International Studies, said that China does not want to see tensions escalate between Pakistan and Afghanistan.

China's security vision rejects closed blocs and confrontational alliances, and instead emphasizes shared security, respect for differences, and the peaceful settlement of disputes through dialogue and consultation, Liu said.

The consensus reached at the trilateral talks will not only contribute to regional peace and stability, but also help lay the groundwork for practical economic cooperation among China, Pakistan and Afghanistan, he said.