Beijing calls for calm as Afghanistan–Pakistan tensions escalate

China’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs has urged Afghanistan and Pakistan to resolve their tensions through dialogue and engagement, as it pledged to work with the international community to help improve relations between the two countries.

In a press briefing on Tuesday, in response to a question about China’s position on the recent Afghanistan–Pakistan tensions, China’s foreign ministry spokesperson, Guo Jiakun, described both Afghanistan and Pakistan as “China’s traditional friendly neighbours,” and noted that “the two countries are and will always be neighbours of each other.”

Jiakun added that Beijing hopes the two capitals will address their issues peacefully. “China hopes that Pakistan and Afghanistan will continue resolving their disputes and differences through dialogue and consultation, deescalate the situation, and keep the region peaceful and stable,” he said. He expressed hope that both countries will move forward through talks and engagement, adding that “China is ready to work with the international community to continue playing a constructive role for the improvement and development of Pakistan–Afghanistan relations.”

China’s recent statement comes as tensions between Afghanistan and Pakistan continue to rise. On Monday, during his inaugural speech in the Chief of Defence Forces role — attended by senior officers from Pakistan’s army, navy, and air force — at a ceremony marking the establishment of the new joint military command headquarters at the General Headquarters in Rawalpindi, Pakistan’s Chief of Army Staff, Field Marshal Asim Munir, set conditions for continued ties with Afghanistan. He said Kabul must choose between supporting the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) or maintaining relations with Pakistan.

Field Marshal Munir said a clear message had been conveyed to Kabul. “A clear message has been given to the Taliban regime that they have no option but to choose between the khawarij mischief-makers or Pakistan,” he said. He noted Pakistan’s position as a peace-loving nation, but warned that no one would be allowed to challenge Pakistan’s territorial integrity or sovereignty.

The Afghan spokesperson has earlier stated that Pakistan’s expectations are neither practical nor grounded in realities on the ground, insisting that Afghanistan cannot be held responsible for Pakistan’s internal security challenges.

Meanwhile, Iran has stepped up its efforts to help resolve tensions between Afghanistan and Pakistan. In mid-December, Iran is expected to hold a multilateral meeting on the situation between the two countries. Iranian officials reported that the meeting is expected to be attended by representatives from neighbouring countries, including China and Russia.

At this point, neither Islamabad nor Kabul has commented on the upcoming meeting. However, previous talks in Riyadh, Doha, and Istanbul failed to produce results.

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