The Voice News: Islamabad, Pakistan – Amid escalating tensions with India following a recent military standoff, Pakistan has taken significant diplomatic steps to re-engage with its neighbor Afghanistan — this time with China acting as a mediator.
On May 21, the foreign ministers of China, Pakistan, and Afghanistan met in Beijing for a trilateral dialogue — their first official interaction since May 2023 under a forum launched in 2017. The informal talks mark a potential turning point in Afghanistan-Pakistan relations, which have been strained since the Taliban’s return to power in 2021.
China-Brokered Breakthrough
Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi stated that both Pakistan and Afghanistan expressed a “clear willingness” to restore diplomatic relations and agreed in principle to exchange ambassadors soon.
“China welcomes this development and will continue to facilitate efforts to improve relations between Pakistan and Afghanistan,” Wang said. He also announced the planned extension of the $62 billion China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) into Afghanistan — a move that may transform regional connectivity under China’s Belt and Road Initiative (BRI).
A Pakistani diplomat familiar with the talks told Al Jazeera that the next round of discussions would take place “within weeks” to sustain the momentum from the Beijing meeting.
“This was a vital confidence-building step for all three countries,” said the official, speaking anonymously.
Regional Tensions and Trilateral Diplomacy
The Beijing meeting followed a four-day military standoff between India and Pakistan from May 7 to May 10. That conflict was triggered by Indian airstrikes targeting alleged “terrorist infrastructure” in Pakistan, in response to the Pahalgam attack in Indian-administered Kashmir, which killed 26 civilians. India blamed Pakistan-based militants, a charge Islamabad denies.
During the skirmish, China backed Pakistan, supplying key defense hardware including fighter jets and missile systems. Chinese support contrasted with India’s growing outreach to Afghanistan, raising strategic stakes across South Asia.
Indian Foreign Minister S. Jaishankar’s conversation with Afghan acting Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi — where Muttaqi condemned the Kashmir attack — further highlighted India’s evolving ties with the Taliban government. Indian media also reported a visit to New Delhi by senior Taliban official Ibrahim Sadr earlier in May.
From Allies to Adversaries: The Pakistan-Taliban Rift
Though Pakistan was once a key supporter of the Afghan Taliban, relations have soured. Islamabad accuses the Taliban of harboring Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) militants who frequently attack Pakistani forces. The Taliban denies these claims.
According to the Pak Institute for Peace Studies, Pakistan suffered 521 attacks in 2024 — a 70% rise from the previous year — with nearly 1,000 fatalities. Many of these attacks were attributed to TTP.
In a rare move, Pakistan’s Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar visited Kabul on April 19 in an effort to reset ties — just days before the Pahalgam attack derailed diplomatic momentum.
Security analyst Ihsanullah Tipu, co-founder of The Khorasan Diary, noted that Pakistan’s outreach prioritizes security above all else.
“Without concrete action on the TTP issue, further cooperation is unlikely,” Tipu said. “But with China’s involvement as a trusted mediator, there’s potential for real progress.”
Shared Security Concerns and China’s Role
Security remains a common concern for China and Pakistan, especially as militant attacks have increasingly targeted Chinese nationals working on CPEC projects. Since 2021, at least 20 Chinese citizens have been killed in attacks, mostly in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan.
China is also worried about the East Turkestan Islamic Movement (ETIM), which Beijing says operates from Afghan territory.
Mustafa Hyder Sayed of the Pakistan-China Institute emphasized that for China and Pakistan, stabilizing Afghanistan is essential for regional peace.
“These terrorist networks — TTP, ETIM — are often interconnected. Their neutralization is critical for any progress,” he said.
Despite this, Kabul-based political analyst Tameem Bahiss noted that most regional players, including China, have found the Afghan security situation “manageable” since the Taliban’s return. Pakistan, however, continues to suffer direct threats.
“While Kabul prioritizes trade and regional integration, Pakistan remains focused on its internal security threats,” Bahiss explained. “China can help bridge this gap by linking security cooperation with economic initiatives.”
India-Afghanistan Ties: A Concern for Pakistan?
India maintained strong relations with Afghanistan’s previous civilian governments. Since the Taliban’s return, New Delhi has taken cautious but growing steps to re-engage — a shift evident in the recent Muttaqi-Jaishankar call.
Sayed downplayed Pakistan’s concern over India-Afghanistan ties, saying Islamabad doesn’t object to Kabul’s diplomacy — so long as it doesn’t undermine Pakistani or Chinese interests.
“Pakistan has simply asked for firm action on terror threats. If Kabul delivers, its engagement with India shouldn’t be an issue,” he said.
But Bahiss believes that warming India-Afghanistan relations could raise strategic alarms.
“Afghanistan is within its rights to engage with any nation, including India,” he said. “But it must clearly communicate its intentions. Misinterpretations could destabilize an already volatile region.”
In the complex geopolitical chessboard of South and Central Asia, the next steps from Kabul, Islamabad, a