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Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi attends a meeting of foreign ministers of the BRICS group of countries in the city of Nizhny Novgorod, Russia, June 10, 2024. PHOTO: Reuters
China has urged Pakistan and Afghanistan to resolve their differences through dialogue rather than force, calling for restraint and an immediate ceasefire as tensions rise between the two neighbors.
Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi conveyed the message in a phone call with Afghan Foreign Minister Mawlawi Amir Khan Muttaqi, according to a statement released by the Chinese Foreign Ministry on Friday.
Wang stressed that both sides should remain calm and work to defuse tensions through direct engagement.
Wang urged the two countries to exercise restraint and hold face-to-face talks as soon as possible to resolve their differences.
“The continued use of force would only complicate the situation and intensify tensions,” Wang said, according to the ministry statement.
He added that regional stability required cooperation rather than confrontation.
“For his part, Wang said that the more unstable the external environment becomes, the more regional countries should strengthen unity and cooperation, overcome difficulties together, and chart a course for cooperative security and common security.”
The Chinese foreign minister also described relations between the two neighboring countries as geographically inseparable.
“Afghanistan and Pakistan are inseparable brothers and neighbors who cannot distance themselves from each other,” he said.
Wang noted that China has maintained an objective and impartial stance on tensions between the two countries.
“China has always maintained an objective and impartial position on the conflict between Afghanistan and Pakistan,” he said.
He also said Beijing was actively engaged in efforts to ease tensions. “The Chinese Foreign Ministry’s special envoy for Afghan affairs is shuttling between the two countries to mediate,” he said, adding that both sides should “keep calm and exercise restraint, have face-to-face exchanges as soon as possible, reach a ceasefire as soon as possible, and resolve differences and contradictions through dialogue.”
China stands ready to continue supporting reconciliation efforts, he said. “China is willing to continue to make active efforts to contribute to reconciliation and détente between Afghanistan and Pakistan.”
Chinese Ambassador to India Xu Feihong echoed the message in a post on X, sharing details of the call. “China is ready to continue to make active efforts to contribute to reconciliation and détente between Afghanistan and Pakistan,” he wrote.
The Afghan foreign minister thanked China for its role in trying to ease tensions between the two countries.
Muttaqi said the Afghan people, after enduring decades of conflict, valued peace and development.
He told Wang that Afghanistan wanted to play a constructive role in the region. “Afghan foreign minister said his country wants to be a source of regional peace rather than unrest, reaffirming that its territory will not be used to attack neighboring countries.”
He added that Afghanistan was not seeking military confrontation with any country and hoped to build trust with its neighbors.
“Afghanistan does not wish to engage in military conflict with other countries and hopes for mutual trust and friendly coexistence with neighboring countries.”
Muttaqi also expressed hope that China would play a greater role in regional diplomacy. “The Afghan side believes that dialogue and consultations are the only way to resolve issues and hopes that China, as a major country and friendly neighbor, will play a greater role.”
The two sides also discussed the situation in Iran during the call. Wang reaffirmed China’s position on the issue, saying Beijing is willing to work with the international community to promote peace. “Wang reaffirmed China’s principled position, saying China is willing to work with the international community, including Afghanistan, to play more of a constructive role in the struggle for peace.”
According to the statement, Wang also told Muttaqi that Beijing was ready to cooperate with international partners, including Afghanistan, to help bring stability to Iran.
