China and Pakistan reaffirmed their coordination on Afghanistan and expressed concern about militant groups operating in the region, according to a joint statement issued Tuesday following Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s visit to Beijing.
The two countries welcomed informal talks among China, Taliban and Pakistan held in Urumqi, China, in April and said they would remain in close communication on Afghan affairs.
The statement said Pakistan welcomed China’s role in providing a platform for dialogue between Islamabad and Taliban amid ongoing tensions between the two sides.
“Both sides agreed to stay in close communication and coordination on the issue of Afghanistan,” the statement said.
China and Pakistan also emphasized the need to prevent any group from using territory in the region to threaten neighboring countries or regional security.
The statement specifically mentioned the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan, or TTP, and the East Turkestan Islamic Movement, known as ETIM, saying no individual, group or organization should be allowed to use territory to conduct militant activities or undermine regional stability.
The remarks come as Pakistan continues to say that the Taliban in Afghanistan have failed to curb TTP fighters who Islamabad says operate from Afghanistan’s soil. Taliban have repeatedly rejected those allegations, insisting that they do not allow Afghanistan’s territory to be used against other countries.
China has also expressed concern about ETIM, a group Beijing links to separatist and militant activities involving members of the Uyghur minority. Chinese officials have repeatedly called on Taliban authorities to prevent Afghanistan’s territory from being used by groups that could threaten China’s security interests.
The joint statement highlights Beijing’s growing role as a mediator between Pakistan and Taliban. In recent months, China has hosted trilateral meetings aimed at easing tensions between the two sides, particularly following border clashes and Pakistani military operations that strained relations between Islamabad and Taliban.
The statement did not mention any new agreements involving Afghanistan, but underscored the importance both countries place on regional security and continued engagement with Taliban.
