KABUL, AFGHANISTAN — China and Pakistan have reiterated their support for extending the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) into Afghanistan, Pakistan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs announced.
The announcement came after a trilateral meeting in Beijing on Wednesday, attended by Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi, Pakistan’s Foreign Minister Mohammad Ishaq Dar, and Taliban Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi.
In a statement, Pakistan’s foreign ministry said both countries backed expanding CPEC to Afghanistan under the broader Belt and Road Initiative (BRI). China also expressed support for Pakistan and Afghanistan in safeguarding their territorial integrity, sovereignty, and national dignity.
No details have been provided on how the corridor would be extended, and the Taliban has yet to comment.
CPEC, launched in 2015, is a multi-billion-dollar infrastructure initiative aimed at improving connectivity between China and Pakistan. Valued at around $62 billion, it includes energy projects, highways, and the development of the strategic Gwadar Port.
The Pakistani ministry added that the three sides also emphasized the need for continued cooperation on counter-terrorism and efforts to promote peace and development.
It also confirmed that the sixth formal trilateral meeting of the foreign ministers will take place in Kabul at a date to be agreed.
