Trilateral talks between China, Pakistan, and Afghanistan are planned.
According to a Chinese government spokesman, China and Pakistan are “hardcore friends” and “all-weather strategic partners.”
Chinese Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Mao Ning stated on Thursday that State Councillor and Foreign Minister Qin Gang will be travelling to Pakistan on May 5 and 6 to participate in the China-Afghanistan-Pakistan Foreign Ministers’ Dialogue.
This, Ning noted, is an essential component of the recent intense cooperation between Beijing and Islamabad, and it is also Gang’s first visit to Pakistan.
Gang will co-chair the fourth strategic conversation between the foreign ministers of China and Pakistan with FM Bilawal Bhutto Zardari during his visit to Pakistan.
China’s Long-Term Presence in Pakistan
“Qin Gang will conduct face-to-face and in-depth communication” on “relations between the two countries and the international and regional situation,” she added.
The partnership between Beijing and Islamabad has stood the test of time, according to the spokeswoman, who added that the two capitals are reliable strategic allies and “hardcore” friends.
She went on to say that the leaders of China and Pakistan had discussed the future of China-Pakistan ties during Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s visit to China in November of last year.
Ning added that China hopes this visit would further expand strategic communication and practical cooperation between China and Pakistan, as well as promote the execution of the key consensus reached by the presidents of the two countries.
She commented on the trilateral debate on Afghanistan by saying that while the Afghan people have been through the worst of it, they still face significant obstacles and require immediate international assistance.
The spokesman also stressed the need of maintaining open lines of communication with the Afghan interim administration and providing aid for the country’s rehabilitation and growth.
According to Ning, regional countries can work towards a unified stance on the Arab issue by participating in a meeting of foreign ministers from Afghanistan’s neighbouring countries and a dialogue between the foreign ministers of China, Afghanistan, and Pakistan.
She went on to say that China hopes to expand consensus among the three countries, consolidate mutual trust among the three parties, and work together to promote regional peace, stability, development, and prosperity as a result of this dialogue between China, Afghanistan, and Pakistan.
