*Sixth Trilateral Foreign Ministers’ Dialogue to Be Held in Kabul on August20*
KABUL – Afghanistan will host a high-profile diplomatic meeting next weekas senior officials from Pakistan, China, and Afghanistan gather for thesixth round of the China-Afghanistan-Pakistan Trilateral Foreign Ministers’Dialogue. Scheduled for August 20, the meeting will bring together AfghanActing Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi, Pakistani Deputy Prime Ministerand Foreign Minister Mohammad Ishaq Dar, and Chinese Foreign Minister WangYi.
The trilateral mechanism has become an important platform for addressingshared regional security challenges, advancing economic cooperation, andfostering diplomatic engagement. The last informal ministerial meeting washeld in Beijing in May this year, where significant commitments were madeto deepen cooperation. Key decisions included extending the China-PakistanEconomic Corridor (CPEC) into Afghanistan, enhancing counterterrorismcoordination, and agreeing to upgrade diplomatic relations between Pakistanand Afghanistan through an exchange of ambassadors.Security and Counterterrorism Focus
Security concerns are expected to dominate the Kabul talks, particularly inlight of recent militant activity in Pakistan’s Khyber Pakhtunkhwa andBalochistan provinces. Pakistani authorities have reported killing around50 militants in recent anti-infiltration operations near the Afghan border.Both Islamabad and Beijing have expressed concerns over groups such as theTehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) and the Eastern Turkistan Islamic Movement(ETIM) allegedly operating from Afghan soil — claims that Kabul denies,insisting its territory is not used against other states.Economic Connectivity and CPEC Expansion
Extending CPEC into Afghanistan remains a major priority for all threenations. The project is envisioned as a gateway to improved infrastructure,trade, and energy connectivity, linking South and Central Asia under theBelt and Road Initiative. Officials see the Kabul meeting as an opportunityto formalize agreements that could accelerate these plans.Strengthening Diplomatic Ties
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The dialogue is also expected to cement the recent thaw inPakistan-Afghanistan relations. After years of strained ties, the twocountries agreed in May to exchange ambassadors, a step seen as essentialfor smoother political and economic cooperation. China has welcomed thisdevelopment, viewing stable Pakistan-Afghanistan relations as critical forregional peace and development.Regional Stability in Focus
Beyond bilateral matters, the talks will address wider regional stabilityand the need to prevent external interference. All three countries areexpected to reaffirm their commitment to sovereignty, non-interference, andjoint development.
Hosting the meeting in Kabul is a symbolic milestone for Afghanistan,signalling its intent to play an active diplomatic role in the region.Observers believe the talks could lead to concrete agreements oninfrastructure projects, intensified counterterrorism measures, and furtherinstitutionalization of trilateral cooperation — but the ultimate test willbe translating these discussions into measurable progress.