State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi leads the fourth China-Afghanistan-Pakistan Trilateral Foreign Ministers’ Dialogue on June 3.

Afghan Foreign Minister Mohammad Hanif Atmar and Pakistani Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi attend the dialogue via video link.

The three foreign ministers had an in-depth exchange of views on the key issues of the peace and reconciliation process in Afghanistan, trilateral practical cooperation, and anti-terrorism security cooperation.

Wang Yi said that the withdrawal of troops by the U.S. from Afghanistan has brought severe security challenges, but it also provides an opportunity for peace and reconciliation in the country, enabling the country to move from long-term internal conflict to an era of peace and stability.

He also made five key points on Afghanistan reconciliation:

1. Afghanistan belongs to Afghans: The peace and reconciliation process in Afghanistan should firstly implement the principle of “Afghan-led and Afghan-owned”. This is in line with the requirements of UN Security Council’s relevant resolutions and is the political prerequisite for peace and reconciliation in Afghanistan.

2. Support momentum for Afghan internal talks:China appreciates that Taliban and Afghan government negotiators met in Doha and calls on all factions to reach agreement on the arrangements for intra-Afghan talks on the country’s future political architecture. China supports an inclusive peace process in Afghanistan and is ready to provide a platform for intra-Afghan talks.

3. Support the Taliban returning to mainstream politics: The world should create a favorable environment for peace talks in Afghanistan on the basis of respect for the will of the Afghan people. All parties should earnestly implement Resolution 2531 of the United Nations Security Council and fulfill their international obligations.

4. Call for international support to Afghanistan’s reconciliation: We should remain committed to international efforts that are righteous and responsible. The international community and regional countries should adhere to fairness and justice, and push the negotiations towards peace, instead of away from peace. Foreign military forces should withdraw from the country in a responsible and orderly manner to prevent terrorist forces from taking the opportunity to cause tumult, so as to ensure a smooth transition of the situation in Afghanistan.

5. Promote China-Afghanistan-Pakistan collaboration: Under the current circumstances, China and Pakistan should continue to strengthen strategic coordination in order to exert a more positive influence on the peace process in Afghanistan and jointly safeguard regional peace and stability.

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