China’s special envoy for Afghanistan in a meeting with Amir Khan Muttaqi in Kabul called for resolving tensions between the Taliban and Pakistan through dialogue and diplomacy, according to a statement from the Taliban-run Foreign Ministry.
The ministry said Yue Xiaoyong emphasized the need to prevent tensions from escalating in order to preserve regional stability.
He added that China is also in contact with Pakistani officials and is working to help reduce tensions between the two sides and promote “constructive relations.”
According to the statement, the meeting also discussed expanding bilateral relations with China, recent regional developments and the situation following what the Taliban described as “Pakistan’s military aggression against Afghanistan’s sovereignty.”
Muttaqi described relations between the Taliban administration and China as positive and said he hoped the two sides would further expand cooperation in various sectors and put it into practice.
He also shared the Taliban’s position on Pakistan’s recent attacks, saying his administration prioritizes the peaceful resolution of disputes rather than conflict and seeks to prevent tensions from escalating, but “considers defending the country and its people a legitimate right.”
The statement added that China’s special envoy expressed condolences to the families of Afghan citizens killed in Pakistan’s recent attacks.
Clashes between Taliban forces and Pakistan began on Feb. 26. Although no fighting has been reported in the past 24 hours, heavy clashes and Pakistani airstrikes were reported across parts of Afghanistan in the previous 10 days.
The United Nations said the violence had killed 56 people as of March 5. The Taliban claim 327 Pakistani soldiers were killed in their attacks, while Pakistan says more than 400 Taliban fighters were killed in its operations.
