Major developments are underway for promoting connectivity and economic integration in the region.
In this regard, there are reports that China and Afghanistan have agreed to sign a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) regarding the expansion of China’s trillion-dollar global infrastructure project, the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), into Afghanistan. Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi, in bilateral meetings with key Afghan Taliban leaders in Kabul on August 20, 2025, assured inclusion of Afghanistan in the BRI, which would go a long way in boosting economic growth and social sector development in Afghanistan. This reflects Beijing’s policy to deepen mutually beneficial cooperation with Afghanistan in various sectors within the framework of the BRI. It would progressively promote practical cooperation in economy and trade in a country devastated by over four decades of war and conflict, including the US-NATO invasion in 2001.
The Chinese Foreign Minister, who was in Kabul for the 6th Afghanistan-China-Pakistan trilateral meeting, met with Afghan Prime Minister Mullah Hassan Akhund and Interior Minister Sirajuddin Haqqani, besides holding bilateral talks with Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi. This was Wang’s second visit to Afghanistan during the Taliban’s four-year rule, his last trip being in March 2022. Another positive aspect of the visit was that the Chinese delegation reiterated the country’s quest for engagement with Kabul while pursuing the policy of non-interference in Afghanistan’s internal affairs. Wang, also a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China’s Central Committee, informed Afghan leaders that Beijing’s approach towards Afghanistan is not conditions-based but interest-based, with China also continuing political support for Afghanistan.
Being Afghanistan’s immediate neighbour, security is of immense importance for China. Wang Yi, in his meeting with Afghan Interior Minister Sirajuddin Haqqani, urged Afghanistan “to take firm actions to crack down on the East Turkestan Islamic Movement (ETIM) and other international terror groups so as to safeguard China-Afghanistan cooperation,” according to China’s state Xinhua news agency. According to the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Afghan Prime Minister Akhund promised to “never allow any force to use Afghan territory to threaten China.” Haqqani, one of the most influential Taliban leaders, assured Wang that “Afghanistan attaches great importance to China’s security concerns, adding that Afghanistan will never allow anyone to use its territory to undermine China’s security.”
China has long been discussing the issue of ETIM with Afghan leaders through engagement and quiet diplomacy. It has never applied pressure tactics and has opposed arbitrary pressures on the Afghan government. Chinese policy reflects an approach of seeking durable stability in Afghanistan through support of the Afghan government so that the threat of terrorism emanating from Afghan soil could be addressed comprehensively and in the long term. The Chinese FM also reiterated China’s firm position for the unfreezing of Afghanistan’s assets. After the Taliban takeover in August 2021, the US froze $9.5 billion belonging to the Afghan Central Bank and despite several efforts, these funds have not yet been released.
In view of the commonality of interest, China, Afghanistan and Pakistan have been gradually coming closer to strengthen trilateral cooperation in security, economic development and connectivity. Counter-terrorism cooperation among the three countries is the need of the hour, as they must evolve a common approach against terrorist groups such as TTP, BLA, ETIM or any other outfits threatening regional security. Economically, China is the leading investor in Pakistan with CPEC as the flagship project of the BRI while also being the top investor in Afghanistan with growing interests in mining, industry, agriculture, energy and trade. However, Chinese investment has been increasingly threatened by attacks on its personnel and projects in Pakistan by TTP, BLA and their associates.
It is, therefore, a significant development that China, Afghanistan and Pakistan have agreed to reinvigorate trilateral consultations in Kabul for deepening security and counter-terrorism cooperation while strengthening trade, transit and connectivity linkages. Inclusion of Afghanistan in the BRI and the possible extension of CPEC into Afghanistan in the future could ensure regional progress. From here, the three countries should guarantee that the momentum of trilateral cooperation is not only maintained but progressively strengthened. These achievements are further reinforced by China’s active diplomacy on a broader regional front, most notably Beijing’s outreach to Indian leadership at a time when US-India relations have sharply deteriorated. Wang Yi’s visit to New Delhi on August 18-19, 2025 signals a renewed phase of shifting global alignments with both countries showing readiness to re-engage on their intricate boundary dispute.
This engagement set the stage for China to host some 20 leaders at the SCO Summit in Tianjin on August 31 and September 1, including Xi Jinping and Putin. The summit explored a common approach for international and regional peace and stability, underscoring the constructive role of Chinese diplomacy in a troubling environment. The Chinese FM also highlighted Beijing’s willingness to enhance cooperation with Kabul through border security, supporting an early resumption of bilateral patrols in the Wakhan Corridor amid reports of a new Afghan road to the Chinese border. Joint patrolling is justified given Beijing’s security concerns and desire to strengthen border stability. Taliban leaders have assured that Afghan soil will not be used against China and remain keen to open the Wakhan route for direct trade, which could also benefit Central Asia, Russia and Iran, fostering broader regional integration and deeper Afghan engagement in the BRI framework. ([email protected]
