[Source/Observer Network Zhang Jingjuan] India and Pakistan have witnessed the most severe military conflict in decades last month. Amidst the tense situation between the two nuclear-armed neighbors, China has opened a peace channel amidst the shadow of war.

According to a report by The Washington Post on June 5th, one of China's key diplomatic achievements is reflected in the breakthrough in relations between Afghanistan and Pakistan, describing "China as the real winner". At a meeting held in Beijing this May, Afghanistan and Pakistan agreed to elevate their bilateral relations to the ambassadorial level. Prior to this, relations between the two countries had deteriorated for years, with fatal violence along their shared border surging. Additionally, Afghanistan was invited to join the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC).

According to five Pakistani and Afghan officials familiar with the talks, this long-term breakthrough is the result of years of Chinese diplomatic efforts. A Pakistani official also revealed that the recent conflict with India increased the urgency of the talks, ultimately leading to mutual agreement. This official said that at that moment, all parties realized that the best approach was to work together to resolve issues.

Officials stated that the negotiating representatives of Afghanistan and Pakistan were driven by common interests: Afghanistan urgently needed economic investment to cope with Western sanctions and cuts in global aid, while Pakistan was deeply troubled by multiple insurgencies and urgently sought to stabilize its volatile western borders.

The report cited analysts as saying that China may also hope to strengthen its image as a mediator and provide an alternative to Western-led peace efforts.

On May 30th, the International Mediation Institute Convention signing ceremony was held in Hong Kong. About 400 high-level representatives from over 85 countries in Asia, Africa, Latin America, and Europe, as well as nearly 20 international organizations attended. Among them, 33 countries signed the convention on-site, becoming founding members.

Politburo member of the Central Committee of the CPC and Foreign Minister Wang Yi pointed out that the establishment of the Mediation Institute practices the purposes and principles of the UN Charter, filling the gap in mechanisms in the field of international mediation, and is an important legal public product provided to improve global governance.

Researcher Liu Zongyi of the Shanghai Institutes for International Studies and director of the South Asia Research Center said, "Under the circumstances where former US President Trump and the US are shirking responsibility...other countries need to take on responsibilities."

As a flagship project of China's Belt and Road Initiative, China has been exploring possibilities for extending the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor to Afghanistan in an appropriate manner for many years.

Professor Lin Minwang, deputy director of the Institute for International Studies at Fudan University, said that after years of war and turmoil, "all parties are full of enthusiasm."

On May 21st local time, the trilateral foreign ministers' meeting of China, Afghanistan, and Pakistan took place. Ministry of Foreign Affairs website.

The report stated that the Taliban is facing increasing economic pressure: the reduction in foreign aid forced humanitarian organizations to scale back operations in Afghanistan, and Pakistan's expulsion of tens of thousands of Afghan refugees exacerbated the already saturated labor market. In recent months, India appears to be filling the void by sending officials to Afghanistan for high-level talks and relaxing visa restrictions on Afghans. However, Afghanistan has long regarded China as a more important trading partner, and now sees an opportunity to position itself as the center of trade networks connecting China, Pakistan, Central Asia, and Europe.

"This opens new doors," said an anonymous senior Taliban official, adding that authorities expect investments in roads, railways, and industrial parks by China to create thousands of jobs.

The Washington Post reported that under the new plan, Pakistan is expected to remain central to regional trade, while Afghanistan becomes a link to Central Asia. A senior Pakistani official said, "Everything still needs to go through Pakistan."

According to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs website, on May 21st, State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi presided over the informal trilateral foreign ministers' meeting of China, Afghanistan, and Pakistan in Beijing. Vice Prime Minister and Foreign Minister of Pakistan Dar and Acting Foreign Minister of Afghanistan Mutaki attended. The three foreign ministers positively evaluated the achievements of the trilateral dialogue and exchanged opinions in depth and friendly manner on further tapping the potential of the trilateral mechanism and advancing mutually beneficial cooperation.

State Councilor Wang Yi summarized the results of the meeting, among which the most notable was that Afghanistan clearly expressed its willingness to upgrade diplomatic relations, agreeing in principle to send ambassadors as soon as possible. China welcomes this and is willing to continue to help improve relations between Afghanistan and Pakistan.

Afghanistan and Pakistan have close ties, with Pakistan having previously accommodated a large number of Afghan refugees. However, the two countries have significant differences on issues such as borders and counter-terrorism. After August 2021, Pakistan did not close its diplomatic institutions in Afghanistan and accepted the dispatch of diplomats by the interim government of Afghanistan.

On the evening of May 31st, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the interim government of Afghanistan issued a statement welcoming the decision by the Pakistani government to upgrade its diplomatic representative office in Kabul to the ambassadorial level. In response, Afghanistan will upgrade its diplomatic representative office in Islamabad from the charge d'affaires level to the ambassadorial level.

Tahir Khan, an expert on Pakistan-Afghanistan relations, told Al Jazeera that China was the first country to elevate its diplomatic representation in Afghanistan to the ambassadorial level, playing a key role in promoting Pakistan's improvement and upgrading of its relations with Afghanistan.

In response to Pakistan and Afghanistan's announcement to elevate their diplomatic relations to the ambassadorial level, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lin Jian expressed at a regular press conference on June 4th that China welcomed this move, believing it would contribute to enhancing mutual trust and cooperation between the two sides and jointly maintain peace and stability in the region. This is also an important positive measure taken by both Pakistan and Afghanistan to implement the outcomes of the informal trilateral foreign ministers' meeting in May this year. China is willing to continue playing a constructive role in promoting the improvement and development of relations between Pakistan and Afghanistan.

Lin Jian stated that China is willing to work together with regional countries including Pakistan and Afghanistan to jointly maintain peace, stability, and development in the region, and strive to build a community with a shared future for neighboring countries.

This article is an exclusive contribution by Observer Network and cannot be reprinted without permission.

Original source: https://www.toutiao.com/article/7512682719042634278/

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