Both stresses that both sides should remain calm and work toward defusing tensions through direct engagement
China’s Foreign Minister Wang Yi attends a meeting of foreign ministers of the BRICS group of nations in the city of Nizhny Novgorod, Russia June 10, 2024. PHOTO:REUTERS
China has urged Pakistan and Afghanistan to resolve their disputes through dialogue rather than force, calling for restraint and an immediate ceasefire as tensions rise between the two neighbours.
Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi conveyed the message during a phone call with Afghan Foreign Minister Mawlawi Amir Khan Muttaqi, according to a statement released by China’s foreign ministry on Friday.
Wang stressed that both sides should remain calm and work toward defusing 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 further use of force would only complicate the situation and intensify tensions,” Wang said, according to the ministry’s statement.
He added that regional stability required cooperation rather than confrontation.
“For his part, Wang said that the more volatile the external environment becomes, the more regional countries should strengthen unity and cooperation, overcome difficulties together, and forge a path of cooperative security and common security.”
The Chinese foreign minister also described the relationship between the two neighbouring countries as one that could not be separated by geography.
“Afghanistan and Pakistan are inseparable brothers and neighbours that cannot be moved away from each other,” he said.
Wang noted that China had maintained an objective and impartial position on the tensions between the two countries.
“China has always maintained an objective and impartial stance on the conflict between Afghanistan and Pakistan,” he said.
He also said Beijing was actively engaged in efforts to ease tensions. “The special envoy on Afghan affairs of the Chinese Foreign Ministry 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 at an early date, achieve a ceasefire as soon as possible, and resolve differences and contradictions through dialogue.”
China was ready to continue supporting efforts toward reconciliation, he said. “China is willing to continue to make active efforts to help achieve reconciliation and detente 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 willing to continue to make active efforts to help achieve reconciliation and detente 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, having endured decades of conflict, valued peace and development.
He told Wang that Afghanistan wanted to play a constructive role in the region. “The 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 neighbouring countries.”
He added that Afghanistan was not seeking military confrontation with any country and hoped to build trust with its neighbours.
“Afghanistan does not wish to engage in military conflict with other countries, and looks forward to mutual trust and friendly coexistence with neighbouring countries.”
Muttaqi also expressed hope that China would play a greater role in regional diplomacy. “The Afghan side believes that dialogue and consultation are the only way to resolve issues and looks forward to China, as a major country and a friendly neighbour, playing a greater role.”
The two sides also discussed the situation in Iran during the call. Wang reaffirmed China’s stance on the issue, saying Beijing was ready to work with the international community to promote peace. “Wang reaffirmed China’s principled position, stating that China is willing to work with the international community, including Afghanistan, to further play a constructive role in striving for peace.”
According to the statement, Wang also told Muttaqi that Beijing was willing to cooperate with international partners, including Afghanistan, to help bring stability to Iran.
