China announced on Friday that negotiations between Afghanistan and Pakistan are making steady progress, following high-level meetings in the South Asian neighbors’ worst conflict since the Taliban’s return in 2021. China, sharing borders with both nations, has stepped up mediation efforts, including telephone calls with their foreign ministers and a March visit by a Chinese special envoy.
“Both Pakistan and Afghanistan attach importance to, and welcome, China’s mediation, and are willing to sit down for talks again, which is a positive development,” foreign ministry spokesperson Mao Ning told reporters. Although Mao declined to specify the talks’ location, the two sides previously indicated they were held in Urumqi, in northwestern China.
Official Highlights Positive Momentum
China has been facilitating dialogue, closely coordinating with both sides to foster conditions for peace and provide a negotiation platform, Mao noted. “The three countries will issue further information in due course,” she added. The ongoing talks come as violence between Pakistan and Afghanistan, which erupted in October, has already claimed dozens of lives, with Afghanistan bearing the brunt of the casualties.
Islamabad accuses the Afghan Taliban of harboring Islamist militants who launch attacks on Pakistani soil. Kabul, however, rejects these claims, framing militancy as Pakistan’s internal issue. As Beijing’s mediation gains traction, the international community watches closely for signs of lasting reconciliation.
