CPEC to Expand into Afghanistan Amid Trilateral Push for Regional Cooperation

China, Pakistan, and Afghanistan have agreed to expand the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) into Afghan territory. The decision was announced after a trilateral meeting held in Beijing involving Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi, Pakistan’s Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar, and Afghanistan’s acting Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi.

According to a readout issued by Pakistan’s Foreign Office, the three foreign ministers reaffirmed their commitment to enhancing trilateral cooperation to promote regional peace, stability, and economic development. The extension of CPEC into Afghanistan is part of broader efforts to strengthen the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) and improve regional connectivity.

China’s Foreign Ministry released a statement quoting Minister Wang Yi as saying that China supports both Afghanistan and Pakistan in safeguarding their sovereignty, national security, and dignity. The ministers agreed to deepen cooperation under the BRI, jointly work on regional infrastructure, and counter external interference.

The meeting also focused on security cooperation. The three countries agreed to intensify joint efforts against terrorism, specifically targeting terrorist groups of mutual concern, and to collaborate in law enforcement and intelligence sharing.

The trilateral meeting — which marks the first such high-level engagement since India launched Operation Sindoor on May 7 in response to the Pahalgam terror attack — comes amid evolving regional dynamics. Notably, it follows renewed engagement between India and the Taliban, including recent telephone talks between India’s External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar and Amir Khan Muttaqi.

While the Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning described the gathering as an “unofficial” interaction, the meeting served to revive the trilateral foreign ministers’ mechanism, which had been dormant due to rising tensions between Islamabad and Kabul over Pakistan’s mass repatriation of Afghan refugees.

Pakistan has repeatedly criticised the Taliban-led Afghan government for failing to curb militant outfits like the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) and the Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA), which Islamabad accuses of launching cross-border attacks.

India has long opposed CPEC, a $60 billion initiative under the BRI, as it runs through Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK). New Delhi has also expressed concerns over the larger BRI project on sovereignty grounds. China, in turn, has raised alarms about repeated terror attacks on CPEC projects in Pakistan.

During his visit to Beijing, Mr. Dar also held meetings with senior Chinese leaders, including Politburo member Wang Yi and Liu Jianchao, head of the Communist Party’s International Department. Their discussions covered a wide range of regional issues, including the India-Pakistan military conflict and India’s recent move to suspend the 1960 Indus Water Treaty.

The trilateral ministers agreed to hold the 6th Trilateral Foreign Ministers’ Meeting in Kabul at a mutually convenient date. Following the meeting, Mr. Dar posted on X (formerly Twitter), “Pakistan, China, and Afghanistan stand together for regional peace, stability, and development,” sharing a photo of the three ministers.

Meanwhile, India is reportedly weighing humanitarian assistance and development projects for Afghan citizens, particularly those displaced by Pakistan’s repatriation drive — a move that could further alter the geopolitical landscape in the region.

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