The understanding was reached during an informal trilateral meeting of foreign ministers from Pakistan, China, and Afghanistan in Beijing. The talks were part of Beijing’s broader effort to ease regional tensions and advance connectivity through its Belt and Road Initiative.
“Afghanistan and Pakistan expressed clear willingness to elevate diplomatic relations and agreed in principle to exchange ambassadors as soon as possible,” Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi said in a statement released by China’s foreign ministry.
“China welcomes this and will continue to provide assistance for the improvement of Afghanistan-Pakistan relations,” Yi said.
Also, Pakistan and China noted that there was an agreement on the extension of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) to Afghanistan.
Although no country has formally recognised the Taliban regime since its return to power in 2021, several including China, the United Arab Emirates, and Russia maintain ambassadors in Kabul. China and the UAE also host Taliban-appointed ambassadors, while Russia last month agreed to accept a Taliban ambassador in Moscow.
Pakistan and Afghanistan currently only have chargés d’affaires posted to each other’s capitals.
Wednesday’s meeting followed a thaw in Pakistan-Afghanistan ties, which have been marred by deep mistrust, cross-border attacks, and sharp disagreements over the presence of the banned Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) militants operating from Afghan territory. Islamabad has long accused Kabul of harboring TTP fighters, who were blamed for a 70pc increase in attacks inside Pakistan in 2024.
Recent diplomatic efforts have aimed to turn the tide. In March 2025, Special Envoy for Afghanistan Mohammad Sadiq visited Kabul for the first time in over a year. His mission was followed by a high-level visit by Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar on April 19, where both sides pledged to prevent their territories from being used for terrorist activities and agreed on trade facilitation measures.
The trilateral meeting in Beijing further built on this momentum. China, which has strategic interests in regional stability and economic integration, hosted the gathering to help resume the China-Afghanistan-Pakistan trilateral dialogue, which had been paused since 2023.
The key outcomes from the Beijing meeting. besides the agreement on the appointment of ambassadors in each other’s capitals, included commitments to enhance cooperation in security and counter-terrorism, including joint action against militant groups and external interference; support for extending the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) into Afghanistan; and an understanding to formally resume the trilateral process by convening the sixth China-Afghanistan-Pakistan Foreign Ministers’ Dialogue in Kabul.
“Deputy Prime Minister/Foreign Minister reaffirmed Pakistan’s commitment to promoting close, cooperative ties with Afghanistan, especially in trade, transit, health, and connectivity,” Pakistan’s Foreign Office said in a statement following the meeting.
China emphasised that all sides must “safeguard their sovereignty, security and national dignity” and reiterated its support for regional partners pursuing development paths “suited to their national conditions.”
With Wednesday’s developments, Pakistan and China appear to be betting that deeper engagement and economic incentives can draw Kabul closer and temper instability in the region.
Wang Yi noted Chinese and Pakistani support for Afghanistan’s reconstruction and development, and readiness to expand trade exchanges with Afghanistan. He further said that there was an agreement on “the extension of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor to Afghanistan.”
The same was echoed by FO, which said, “China and Pakistan reiterated their support for extending the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) to Afghanistan under the broader framework of the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) cooperation.”
All three sides appeared cautiously optimistic about the progress toward normalised ties between Islamabad and Kabul.
“The process of normalisation will not be quick,” commented a diplomat not authorised to speak publicly, “but the fact that Islamabad and Kabul are talking again at this level and agreeing in principle on ambassadors is a significant development.”
For Beijing, which has maintained an ambassador in Kabul and recognised a Taliban-appointed envoy last year, the meeting reflects a strategy of “mini-multilateralism”, which is a targeted diplomatic format aimed at tackling specific regional challenges.
The meeting’s significance is heightened by India’s recent diplomatic overtures to the Taliban, including a call last week between Indian External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar and Amir Khan Muttaqi. This comes amid growing Taliban frustration with Pakistan over refugee deportations and border closures.
