Pakistan and China issued a joint communique on Monday calling for more “visible and verifiable” actions to dismantle and eliminate all terrorist organisations based in Afghanistan, and prevent them from using Kabul’s territory for militancy against any other country.
The joint statement came after the conclusion of the 7th round of the Pakistan-China Foreign Ministers’ Strategic Dialogue, for which Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar travelled to Beijing.
“The two sides called for more visible and verifiable actions to dismantle and eliminate all terrorist organisations based in Afghanistan which continue to pose serious threats to regional and global security, and prevent terrorist organisations from using the Afghan territory for terrorism against any other country and to endanger any other country,” the statement said.
“The two sides agreed to keep in close communication and coordination on the Afghan issue, work with the international community to encourage the Afghan government to build an inclusive political framework, adopt moderate policies, focus on development, pursue good-neighbourliness, and play a constructive role in helping Afghanistan achieve stable development and integrate into the international community,” it added.
The statement also said that China commended the measures taken by Islamabad to combat terrorism and protect the safety of Chinese personnel, projects and institutions in Pakistan.
“China fully recognised the significant contributions and huge sacrifices that Pakistan made in combating terrorism over the years,” it said.
“The two sides reiterated their commitment to combating terrorism in all its forms and manifestations with zero tolerance, and agreed to further deepen all-round cooperation on counter-terrorism and security, and make concerted efforts to ensure that the China-Pakistan Belt and Road cooperation advances in a secure and smooth manner,” it said.
“Calling on the international community to strengthen counter-terrorism cooperation, the two sides expressed their firm opposition to double standards on counterterrorism,” it added.
Both countries also expressed the readiness to continue leveraging the China-Afghanistan-Pakistan trilateral foreign ministers’ dialogue and the China-Bangladesh-Pakistan cooperation mechanism to “deliver new outcomes”.
Pak-China agree to enhance communication
According to the communique, during the dialogue in Beijing, the two sides engaged in a “thorough exchange of views on bilateral relations and cooperation in wide-ranging areas, including strategic and political cooperation, as well as cooperation on defence and security, economy, trade, investment, and cultural and people-to-people exchanges”.
Pakistan and China “agreed to enhance strategic communication, deepen strategic mutual trust, jointly safeguard their common interests, promote the economic and social development of the two countries,” it said.
They also called for the safeguarding and advancing “peace, development and prosperity of the region and beyond”.
Pakistan and China also marked the 75th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations, with the launch of commemorative activities, the communique said.
It added that the anniversary was an “opportunity to consolidate China-Pakistan friendship and expand new areas of cooperation”.
Pakistan also congratulated China on the “successful conclusion of the 14th Five-Year Plan and the upcoming 15th Five-Year Plan” under the leadership of Chinese President Xi Jinping.
Pakistan also lauded China for its “people-centred development philosophy”, the communique said, adding that Pakistan also believed that the “Chinese path to modernisation provided a new option and practical solution for other developing countries to achieve independent development”.
China also commended Pakistani leadership on “leading the country to achieve macroeconomic stability and to lay a solid foundation for national economic growth centred on Pakistan’s National Economic Transformation Plan (2024-2029) (URAAN Pakistan) and for its people to share the fruits of development and prosperity”.
Pakistan also reiterated its “firm commitment“ to the one-China principle, stating that Taiwan is an ”inalienable part of China’s territory”, the communique said.
“Pakistan firmly supports every effort of China to achieve national reunification, and opposes any form of ‘Taiwan independence‘ and any attempt to create ’two Chinas’ or ’one China, one Taiwan,” it added.
