Beijing assures that it is not aimed at weakening India  

By Raji Krishna 

Colombo, May 21 -The Foreign Ministers of China, Pakistan and the Taliban regime are meeting in Beijing from May 19 to 22. China is forming a tripartite security-cum-economic axis with Pakistan and Taliban-ruled Afghanistan. But it insists that this is not aimed at weakening India. 

However, the meeting in Beijing this week assumes particular significance in the backdrop of the short India-Pakistan war which steeled ties between China and Pakistan even as it further damaged Sino-Indian relations.

The role Chinese advanced technology played in Pakistan’s showing in aerial engagements with India has embittered New Delhi, particularly after the international media highlighted the reported loss of one or more Rafale fighters recently purchased at US$ 280 million apiece.           

Be that as it may, the trilateral meeting at Beijing is but a continuation of previous diplomatic engagements. These meetings reflect a concerted effort by China, Pakistan and Afghanistan to enhance dialogue and cooperation on issues of mutual interest. 

The trilateral discussions in Beijing are expected to cover a range of topics, including counterterrorism efforts, economic cooperation, and infrastructure development. These areas are particularly pertinent given the ongoing challenges in Afghanistan and the broader South Asian region. 

Commenting on the meeting of Pakistan’s Foreign Minister Mohammad Ishaq Dar with his Chinese counterpart Wang Yi, the Chinese Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Mao Ning said on Monday that China takes the visit “as an opportunity to further implement the important consensus reached by the leaders of both countries, enhance strategic communication and coordination, deepen exchanges and cooperation in various fields, advance the continuous growth of China-Pakistan relationship, and accelerate the building of an even closer China-Pakistan community with a shared future in the new era.” 

On Sunday, Pakistan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs said that Dar will hold in-depth discussions with Foreign Minister Wang Yi on the “evolving regional situation in South Asia and its implications for peace and stability.” This has implications for India-China besides India-Pakistan relations. 

Dar’s visit to Beijing takes place when India-Pakistan tensions remain high despite a ceasefire brought about by the persuasive skills of US officials Marco Rubio and J.D.Vance. 

Not anti-India, says China 

Interestingly, the Chinese spokesperson, Mao Ling, did not want the meeting in Beijing to be seen in New Delhi as an anti-India confabulation. In response to a question regarding the recent India-Pakistan standoff she said: “We are willing to maintain communication with both India and Pakistan, encourage them to exercise calm and restraint to achieve a lasting ceasefire, and jointly safeguard regional peace and stability. I want to tell you that India and Pakistan are both China’s important neighbours. China attaches, all along, great importance to China-India and China-Pakistan relations. The Chinese side is committed to the philosophy and principle of good neighbourliness with neighbouring countries.”  

“We welcome and support the realised ceasefire between the two countries and are ready to play a constructive role in realising a lasting and comprehensive ceasefire between the two countries and maintaining regional peace and stability.” 

However, this had not prevented China from continuing to needle India. Beijing recently gave Chinese names to 27 more places in the Indian State of Arunachal Pradesh which it claims as “Southern Tibet”. China has so far renamed 90 places in that North Eastern Indian State to New Delhi’s consternation.

Afghan Foreign Minister’s Participation  

As state earlier, Afghanistan’s interim Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi is to be in Beijing participating in the talks on “regional peace and security.” 

China’s interest in Afghanistan revolves around (1) security from the Eastern Turkistan Islamic militants, allegedly sheltered by the Taliban, (2) the vastly increased economic engagement with Afghanistan through the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI).

On August 15, 2021, the Taliban had taken over Kabul and forced the US-installed government of President Ashraf Ghani to flee. Under an agreement signed between the two countries, from December 1, 2024, Afghan products got 100%  duty-free access to the Chinese market. This will be a boon to war-torn and impoverished Afghanistan. 

In March 2025, China’s exports to Afghanistan reached US$ 135 million, a 18.7% increase from the previous year. This growth was largely driven by China’s exports of synthetic fabrics, synthetic yarn woven fabrics, and large construction vehicles. China’s imports from Afghanistan also increased, primarily due to higher imports of nuts, non-retail pure cotton yarn, and knotted carpets. 

Afghanistan’s natural resources, including gas reserves in Sheberghan and the copper mine in Logar province, offer a great opportunity for Chinese investors. Another major initiative is the ‘Five-nations railway’ linking China, Iran, Kyrgyzstan, Afghanistan, and Tajikistan. 

China was the first country to send an Ambassador to and receive an Ambassador from Afghanistan, although it has not yet formally recognized the Taliban regime. Chinese envoy Yue Xiaoyong’s interview with Tolo News, an Afghan news agency, implied that China’s formal recognition of the Taliban government would hinge on a regional consensus and the Taliban’s satisfactory elimination of terrorist groups on its soil. In particular, China wants to ensure that Uyghur separatists do not find sanctuaries in Afghanistan.

Along with China, other regional stakeholders such as Russia, Iran, and India have also increased their engagement with the Taliban. But China, with its deep pockets, appears to be the dominant player.  The impact of US President Donald Trump’s second term may raise concerns in some countries, but his policy of non-involvement in Afghanistan is expected to remain unchanged. 

China’s Economic Stakes 

China intends to extract Afghanistan’s untapped resources and expand its geopolitical influence through this. As a neighbour and rising power, China also wants to make an economic contribution to improving the living standards of the Afghan people. 

With the US withdrawing from Afghanistan and looking more towards the Middle East; Russia too busy with Ukraine to play any role anywhere else, and with India just ending a war with Pakistan and facing problems with Bangladesh, Afghanistan has become a happy hunting ground for China. And it is set to exploit the new opportunities, especially after ending its confrontation with the US over trade and tariffs. 

Dr. Ghulam Ali, deputy director at the Hong Kong Research Center for Asian Studies, writes in The Diplomat to say that China recognizes that Afghanistan’s geostrategic location is crucial for implementing the BRI. Two of the six corridors developed under the BRI, the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) and the China-Central Asia-West Asia Economic Corridor, run through countries neighbouring Afghanistan. 

Wakhan Corridor

China is interested in the development of the “Wakhan Corridor” which transits the common border between China and Afghanistan (Northeast of Afghanistan). It is interested in Iran’s initiatives to enhance road and railway connectivity with Afghanistan. Thanks to good Sino-Iran relations, there are signs of the emergence of a  Tehran-Kabul-Beijing axis.

Some analysts rule out the possibility of opening the Wakhan Corridor anytime soon due to rugged terrain and inhospitable weather conditions. But Dr. Ghulam Ali says that China possesses the experience, technology, and investment to build it should overall security conditions in Afghanistan improve.  

China’s building of the Karakorum Highway with Pakistan during the 1970s, the Qinghai-Tibet Railway, and the Three George Dams are only a few examples of its capacity to build gigantic projects under difficult conditions, Dr. Ghulam Ali points out.

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