Afghanistan Times Latest News and Analysis from Afghanistan and the Region
Related Articles
KABUL – In a major diplomatic turn, the Taliban will host the foreign ministers of China and Pakistan in Kabul on Wednesday, marking the most significant international gathering since the group’s return to power in 2021. The summit will bring together China’s Foreign Minister Wang Yi, Pakistan’s Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar, and the Taliban’s Acting Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi for high-stakes trilateral talks.
The meeting, timed just days after the fourth anniversary of the Taliban’s return to power, underscores the regime’s bid to move from global isolation to regional acceptance. For the Taliban, long treated as a pariah by the West, the summit is both symbolic and strategic: it offers a stage to showcase political legitimacy while securing badly needed economic lifelines.
At the heart of the discussions will be counterterrorism and the potential expansion of the China–Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) into Afghanistan. Officials say the three countries plan to coordinate against militant groups threatening regional stability, including the Pakistani Taliban (TTP), the Islamic State affiliate ISKP, and the Uighur-linked ETIM. Both Beijing and Islamabad view Afghanistan as critical to containing militant threats that directly endanger their own borders.
For China, the talks also open the door to embedding Afghanistan in its vast Belt and Road Initiative (BRI). Extending CPEC through Afghan territory could transform the landlocked country into a vital trade corridor linking Central and South Asia. For Pakistan, closer alignment with Kabul offers the chance to curb cross-border insurgency while strengthening its partnership with Beijing.
The West, meanwhile, remains largely sidelined. Most Western governments continue to withhold recognition of the Taliban, citing human rights abuses and restrictions on women. Yet Wednesday’s summit highlights how regional powers are choosing engagement over isolation, redrawing the geopolitical map in a post-U.S. Afghanistan.
Analysts warn the outcomes could be profound. If Kabul secures Chinese investment and Pakistan’s full diplomatic backing, the Taliban may cement its rule and gain leverage against international sanctions. But the risks are equally stark: empowering the Taliban without accountability could entrench authoritarian rule and undermine Western influence in a region long seen as a security flashpoint.
As Kabul prepares to welcome its most powerful visitors since 2021, the message is clear: while the West keeps its distance, China and Pakistan are moving in to reshape Afghanistan’s future.
