China will play constructive role in bring Pakistan, Afghanistan together: Wang Yi

BEIJING: China has said that it will play a “constructive role” in bringing Pakistan and Afghanistan on the same page as part of fresh efforts to resolve the 16-year conflict with the Taliban by hosting a trilateral meeting of the foreign ministers of the three countries. Beijing also praised Pakistan for doing its “best” to combat terrorism, days it backed the Brics’ declaration which named Pakistan-based terror groups LeT and JeM for the first time.

“Pakistan is a good brother and iron friend of China. No one knows Pakistan and understands Pakistan better than China,” foreign minister Wang Yi said while addressing a joint press conference with his visiting Pakistan counterpart Khawaja Muhammad Asif in Beijing on Friday. Beijing’s move on Afghanistan is seen as an apparent attempt to counter US president Donald Trump’s tough policy against the Taliban and Pakistan which was announced last month as part of America’s new Afghanistan and South Asia policy.

“The participation of China in bringing together and finding a political solution to Afghan problem is very vital. To support the initiative, Pakistan has already undertaken many steps, and will pursue those steps of improving relationship with Kabul,” Yi told the news conference, unveiling the new China-driven Afghanistan policy.