China, Pakistan Stress Afghanistan Must Not Be Used by Militant Groups

 KABUL, AFGHANISTAN – China and Pakistan issued a joint statement emphasizing that Afghan territory must not be used by militant groups to threaten regional security and stability. 

The statement was published today on May 26, 2026, following Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s official visit to China and his meetings with Chinese President Xi Jinping and Premier Li Qiang.

In the statement, both sides stressed the need to prevent any individual, group, or party, including Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), the East Turkestan Islamic Movement (ETIM), and others, from using Afghan soil to harm and threaten regional security and interests, or to carry out terrorist activities.

The joint position was announced after Sharif’s visit to Beijing, where the two countries discussed regional security cooperation, with Afghanistan remaining a central focus of their talks.

The Pakistani delegation described last month’s “informal Urumqi dialogue” involving China, the Taliban, and Pakistan as successful and welcomed proposals to establish a platform for sustained dialogue between Islamabad and the Taliban authorities.

Pakistan’s Foreign Ministry said both sides agreed to remain in close contact and coordination on Afghanistan-related issues.

Beyond security concerns, China and Pakistan also reaffirmed broader strategic cooperation under the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), pledging closer political, defense, and economic coordination as both countries marked the 75th anniversary of diplomatic relations.

The joint position reflects months of Chinese diplomatic engagement aimed at easing tensions between Pakistan and the Taliban administration.

Earlier this year, Beijing facilitated quiet diplomatic contacts between the two sides. According to Pakistani media outlet Khorasan Diary, citing Pakistani and Taliban officials, representatives from both sides met in Urumqi, China, in April to discuss reducing tensions. 

The meeting was reportedly arranged during the visit of China’s Special Representative Yu Xiaoyong to Kabul and Islamabad and was intentionally kept low-profile until progress could be made.

At the time, China publicly urged both sides to exercise restraint and engage in direct dialogue. Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lin Jian said Beijing hoped Afghanistan and Pakistan would hold face-to-face talks, achieve a ceasefire at the earliest opportunity, and resolve disputes through dialogue.

Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi also held separate discussions with senior officials from Pakistan and the Taliban administration, while Chinese diplomats in Kabul and Islamabad maintained close contact as part of broader mediation efforts.

Pakistan has seen a surge in militant violence in recent years, particularly in the provinces of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan, which border Afghanistan. The attacks often target security personnel, police patrols, military convoys, and government installations.

Militant groups, including Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan and the Baloch Liberation Army, as well as affiliated factions, have intensified attacks in these regions in recent years. Pakistani authorities say the groups have expanded operations against security forces, infrastructure, and government facilities.

Islamabad accuses the Taliban authorities in Afghanistan of allowing militants from Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan to use Afghan territory as a base to launch cross-border attacks. Taliban deny the accusations and say Pakistan should address its security challenges internally.

There have also been reports suggesting that Taliban authorities are hosting members of the East Turkestan Islamic Movement. According to those reports, the militants have been relocated to northeastern Afghanistan following the Taliban’s return to power, where they are allegedly preparing for potential operations targeting China.

The rise in violence has strained relations between Pakistan and the Taliban authorities in Kabul. For years, Pakistan maintained close ties with the Afghan Taliban and hosted many of the movement’s leaders and fighters during the two decades of war against the Western-backed Afghan government that preceded the Taliban’s return to power in 2021.

In recent months, however, relations have deteriorated sharply, with both sides exchanging accusations and military actions along the border. Pakistan has carried out several airstrikes in border areas and, in some cases, deeper inside Afghanistan.

Clashes that began in late February have resulted in significant civilian casualties in Afghanistan. According to the United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan, at least 75 civilians have been killed and 193 others wounded across the country since then, with women and children accounting for the majority of casualties.

The continuing violence and cross-border tensions have raised concerns among regional governments and international organizations about further instability along the Pakistan-Afghanistan border. Calls from regional countries and humanitarian groups for restraint and dialogue between the two sides have so far failed to halt the hostilities.

Source https://kabulnow.com/2026/05/china-pakistan-stress-afghanistan-must-not-be-used-by-militant-groups/