KABUL, AFGHANISTAN — China, Pakistan, and the Taliban have agreed to expand trilateral cooperation, including extending the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) into Afghanistan, as part of a broader strategy to reduce India’s footprint in the country.
The agreement was reached during a closed-door meeting in Kabul over the weekend, attended by Taliban Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi, China’s Special Envoy Yue Xiaoyong, and Pakistan’s Special Representative Mohammad Sadiq.
This marks the first high-level diplomatic engagement of its kind hosted by the Taliban under the framework of trilateral foreign ministers’ talks.
Sources familiar with the discussions told The Express Tribune that all three sides endorsed the extension of CPEC, a key component of China’s Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), into Afghanistan. The initiative seeks to enhance infrastructure, boost connectivity, and draw Afghanistan further into the economic and strategic orbit of Beijing and Islamabad.
Beyond economic cooperation, the talks also reflected a deeper political alignment. According to multiple sources, an understanding was reached that India’s role in Afghanistan would be limited strictly to diplomatic functions.
“The strategy being advanced here involves a realignment that restricts Indian influence in Afghanistan’s political and security landscape,” a regional official said on condition of anonymity.
Taliban officials reportedly signaled support for Pakistan’s stance on regional security issues, including the April 22 incident in Indian-administered Kashmir.
Sources said the Taliban committed to a position of neutrality and agreed to steer clear of India-led regional initiatives.
The trilateral alignment, which sidelines Western actors and curtails India’s regional outreach, signals a shifting balance of power in South and Central Asia. With increasing economic and strategic interests in Afghanistan, China has reportedly pledged political support and investment in the Taliban regime.
The Chinese envoy conveyed Beijing’s readiness to integrate Afghanistan into broader regional transport and trade corridors under the BRI framework.
