China, Pakistan and Afghanistan have formed an axis which is expected to have a significant impact on the security and developmental architecture in the Afghanistan-Pakistan-China triad.
Among the objectives is to marginalise India’s role in Afghanistan, the Pakistani paper The Express Tribune said on May 12 quoting un-named sources.
A trilateral meeting among Pakistan-Afghanistan and China was held in Kabul on May 11. At the meeting, it was agreed on a new regional realignment and an extension of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) project to Afghanistan. It was also agreed that Indian influence in Afghanistan “would be limited to diplomatic missions,” The Express Tribune said quoting un-named sources.
The closed-door meeting at Kabul involved Acting Afghan Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi, China’s special envoy Yue Xiaoyong, and Pakistan’s Special Representative Mohammad Sadiq.
The Express Tribune described this session as a “bold move towards a regional realignment.” Sources told the paper that the Afghan Taliban silently supported Islamabad’s stance on the neutral investigation of the April 22 Pahalgam incident. Earlier, the Taliban Government had condemned the Pahalgam terror attack in which 26 Indian male tourists were killed allegedly by a Pakistani terror group.
At the May 11 meeting, China and Pakistan also greenlighted support for deeper political and economic cooperation with Afghanistan while side-lining Western influence in South and Central Asia, the Express Tribune added.
In a report on the tripartite Beijing confabulations on May 21, the Chinese Communist party mouthpiece Global Times said that China’s Foreign Minister Wang Yi conveyed to his Pakistani counterpart Ishaq Dar, that China will “always, firmly support Pakistan in safeguarding its national sovereignty and territorial integrity and exploring a development path suited to its national conditions, combating terrorism.”
More interestingly, China will also support Pakistan in playing a greater role in international and regional affairs. This will pit Beijing against New Delhi in international forums.
China and Pakistan ties
According to the Global Times, Chinese commentators said that the primary purpose of Dar’s visit was to strengthen the “ironclad relationship” between China and Pakistan, as well as promoting the sound and steady development of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) while jointly working to overcome obstacles.
They said that Dar’s briefing to the Chinese side on the post-war India-Pakistan situation would further enhance “strategic communication” which is essentially military related.
Wang said that China and Pakistan have maintained close strategic communication on consolidating their traditional friendship, and enhancing mutually beneficial cooperation. They will jointly address challenges, which reflects the high level of bilateral relations, according to a readout released on the website of Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
Dar said that Pakistan cherishes the “brotherly ties” between Pakistan and China, firmly adheres to the One-China principle, and supports China in safeguarding its national interests and dignity. More importantly, Pakistan will make every effort to ensure the safety of Chinese personnel, projects, and institutions in Pakistan, he said.
Latest developments
Dar also briefed the Chinese on the latest developments after Pakistan and India agreed on a ceasefire. He expressed gratitude to the Chinese side “for upholding justice and making unremitting efforts and significant contributions to promote a ceasefire and peace.”
Dar assured the Chinese that Pakistan will be firmly committed to safeguarding national sovereignty and territorial integrity, “while also being willing to maintain dialogue with the Indian side to ease the situation.”
Wang told Dar that China welcomes and supports India and Pakistan in properly addressing their differences through dialogue, achieving a comprehensive and lasting ceasefire, and seeking fundamental solutions.
“This aligns with the fundamental and long-term interests of both sides, beneficial for regional peace and stability, and is also what the international community generally expects. During and after the India-Pakistan clash, China had maintained close communication with both sides, reflecting China’s stance that both are important neighbours of China, Wang said.
However, the India-friendly noises emerging from Beijing did not prevent China from continuing to needle India. Beijing recently gave Chinese names to 27 more places in the Indian State of Arunachal Pradesh which it claims as “Southern Tibet”. China has so far renamed 90 places in that North Eastern Indian State to New Delhi’s consternation.
China’s stakes in Afghanistan
The China-Pakistan-Afghanistan trilateral covered a range of topics, including counterterrorism efforts, economic cooperation, and infrastructure development.
(1) Security from the Eastern Turkistan Islamic militants, allegedly sheltered by the Taliban,
(2) Economic engagement with Afghanistan through the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI).
Under a bilateral trade agreement, from December 1, 2024, Afghan products got 100 percent duty-free access to the Chinese market. In March 2025, China’s exports to Afghanistan reached US$ 135 million, a 18.7 percent increase from the previous year.
Afghanistan’s natural resources, including gas reserves in Sheberghan and the copper mine in Logar province, offer a great opportunity for Chinese investors. Another major initiative is the ‘Five-nations railway’ linking China, Iran, Kyrgyzstan, Afghanistan, and Tajikistan.
Along with China, other regional stakeholders such as Russia, Iran, and India have also increased their engagement with the Taliban. But China, with its deep pockets, appears to be the dominant player.
The impact of US President Donald Trump’s second term may raise concerns in some countries, but his policy of non-involvement in Afghanistan is expected to remain unchanged, leaving the field open to China. After the US-China trade deal, Beijing will be able to cultivate Afghanistan without stepping on Washington’s toes.
Deputy Director at the Hong Kong Research Centre for Asian Studies Dr. Ghulam Ali wrote in The Diplomat that China recognises that Afghanistan’s geostrategic location is crucial for implementing the BRI. Two of the six corridors developed under the BRI, the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) and the China-Central Asia-West Asia Economic Corridor, run through countries neighbouring Afghanistan.
Wakhan Corridor
China is interested in the development of the “Wakhan Corridor” which transits the border between China and Afghanistan. It is also interested in Iran’s initiatives to enhance road and railway connectivity with Afghanistan.
Thanks to good Sino-Iran relations, there are signs of the emergence of a Tehran-Kabul-Beijing axis also.
Some analysts rule out the possibility of opening the Wakhan Corridor anytime soon due to rugged terrain and inhospitable weather. But Dr. Ghulam Ali says that China possesses the experience, technology, and investment to build it should overall security conditions in Afghanistan improve.
China’s building of the Karakorum Highway to Pakistan, the Qinghai-Tibet Railway, and the Three Gorges Dams are only a few examples of its capacity to build gigantic projects under difficult conditions, Dr. Ghulam Ali says.
