Afghanistan Times
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KABUL – In an unprecedented geopolitical development, the Taliban-led government of Afghanistan has been chosen as the host for the sixth round of trilateral foreign ministers’ dialogue with China and Pakistan—marking the first high-level diplomatic summit of its kind to take place in Kabul under Taliban rule.
This announcement, confirmed late Saturday by the Afghan Ministry of Foreign Affairs, has sent shockwaves through diplomatic circles in the region and beyond. Zia Ahmad Takal, head of public relations for the ministry, stated that acting Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi, China’s special envoy Yue Xiaoyong, and Pakistan’s representative Mohammad Sadiq jointly agreed to hold the summit in Kabul following closed-door talks earlier today.
🎙️ “This is more than diplomacy,” a senior regional analyst told Ariana News. “This is a signal to the world: the Taliban is not just surviving—they’re asserting themselves on the international stage.”
Sources suggest that the upcoming summit will focus heavily on regional economic integration, cross-border security collaboration, and the launch of infrastructure projects that could permanently alter the strategic balance in Central and South Asia.
Muttaqi, in his remarks, emphasized Afghanistan’s readiness to play a “constructive, central role” in stabilizing the region. “We’re not a buffer zone anymore,” he declared. “We are a bridge.”
This move is being seen by some as Beijing’s clearest endorsement yet of engaging directly with the Taliban administration, bypassing Western hesitations. Pakistan, a longtime player in Afghan affairs, is also expected to push for joint counter-terror mechanisms and trade corridors connecting Gwadar to Central Asia.
Critics warn the summit could legitimize the Taliban regime on the global stage without meaningful human rights reforms. Still, diplomats say the mere optics of Chinese, Pakistani, and Taliban representatives shaking hands under the dome of Kabul’s Foreign Ministry may mark the beginning of a new regional order—one written without Washington.
