FMs agree on extending CPEC to Afghanistan

PESHAWAR (Pajhwok): An agreement was reached on Wednesday on extending the China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) to Afghanistan.

The agreement came at a meeting among the foreign ministers of the three countries in Beijing, the Foreign Office in Islamabad said.

Afghanistan’s interim Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi, his Pakistani and Chinese counterparts Ishaq Dar and Wang Yi discussed regional stability and other topics of common interest..

Under the trilateral mechanism, which was established in 2017, earlier meetings were held in the capitals of China and Afghanistan.

A statement from the Foreign Office said: “They agreed to deepen Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) cooperation and extend the CPEC to Afghanistan.”

The foreign ministers reaffirmed trilateral cooperation as a vital platform to promote regional security and economic connectivity, the statement added.

“It was agreed that the 6th Trilateral Foreign Ministers’ Meeting will be held in Kabul at an early, mutually convenient date,” the foreign ministry announced.

The meeting discussed enhancing diplomatic engagement, strengthening communications and taking practical steps to boost trade, infrastructure, and development as key drivers of shared prosperity.

The ministers underscored their shared commitment to countering terrorism and fostering stability and development in the region.

mud