The three-way talks between Pakistan, China, and Afghanistan are set to focus on trade, security, and shared geopolitical concerns amid rising Pakistan-India tensions
By Asghar Ali Mubarak
ISLAMABAD: Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar will travel to Beijing tomorrow for high-level talks with his Chinese counterpart Wang Yi, as South Asia grapples with rising tensions and uncertain security dynamics. The visit, confirmed by the Foreign Office, will run from 19 to 21 May and comes at the invitation of China’s top diplomat.
Dar’s arrival in the Chinese capital will precede a trilateral meeting involving Afghanistan’s Acting Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi, who is due to land in Beijing on 20 May. The three-way talks between Pakistan, China, and Afghanistan are expected to center on boosting trade ties, deepening security cooperation, and addressing shared geopolitical concerns, particularly in light of the recent Pakistan-India hostilities.
The upcoming dialogue reflects growing urgency among regional players to find common ground at a time when economic pressures, border tensions, and security threats have heightened instability across the region. Pakistan’s renewed engagement with Beijing is being seen as part of a broader strategic alignment aimed at diffusing tensions and reinforcing multilateral cooperation.
For Islamabad, the visit is particularly timely. With Afghanistan’s security landscape still precarious and Pakistan-India relations once again strained, the trilateral forum offers an opportunity to reassert regional diplomacy and promote a collective roadmap for stability. The recent surge in cross-border skirmishes and threats of water blockade by India have only intensified Islamabad’s diplomatic outreach.
China, which has positioned itself as a stabilizing force in the region, is expected to advocate for stronger economic integration through trade corridors and development projects, including those under the Belt and Road Initiative. Security collaboration, especially counterterrorism efforts and border management, will also be high on the agenda.
The meeting will serve as a litmus test for the ability of the three countries to align their interests and manage long-standing mistrust. In a region where fault lines run deep, the Beijing talks mark a rare and critical moment for regional diplomacy to gain momentum—offering, at least in principle, a path forward in a deeply fragile landscape.
