BEIJING: China’s foreign ministry spokesperson on Monday said that Beijing is concerned about recent border clashes between Pakistan and the Afghan Taliban and has urged the two sides to protect citizens and investments in the region.
“China is willing to continue to play a constructive role in improving and developing Pakistan-Afghanistan relations,” foreign ministry spokesperson Lin Jian said during a regular press briefing.
Beijing has expressed hope that Kabul and Islamabad will “remain calm and exercise restraint,” and continue to address each other’s concerns through dialogue and consultation to prevent any escalation, according to spokesperson Lin.
Pakistan’s Armed Forces decisively repelled an unprovoked cross-border assault launched by Afghan Taliban and India-sponsored terrorist groups on the night of October 11–12, 2025, along multiple sectors of the Pak-Afghan frontier, the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) said in a statement on Sunday.
According to the military’s media wing, the attackers—comprising Taliban forces and elements of Fitna al Khawarij, Fitna al Hindustan and ISKP/Daesh—attempted coordinated fire and physical raids aimed at destabilising border regions and facilitating terrorism.
During the overnight skirmishes, 23 Pakistani soldiers embraced martyrdom defending the nation’s territorial integrity, and 29 others sustained injuries. Intelligence assessments indicate that more than 200 Taliban and affiliated militants were neutralised, with “extensive infrastructural damage” inflicted on their networks.
In August, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi participated in a meeting with his Pakistani and Afghan counterparts in Kabul, where he emphasized the need to strengthen engagement at all levels.
Earlier, during an informal trilateral meeting hosted by Beijing, China announced that Kabul and Islamabad had agreed to enhance their diplomatic relations.
China rejects claims Pakistan gifted rare earths to US
China’s Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lin Jian, in his remarks, also dismissed reports that Pakistan had gifted rare earth samples to the US as “groundless”.
He emphasised that China and Pakistan are all-weather strategic cooperative partners, whose ironclad friendship has stood the test of time.
He added that the two sides maintain a high level of strategic mutual trust and close communication on major issues of shared interests.
Lin noted that China and Pakistan have discussed the issue of Pakistan-US mineral cooperation, and Pakistan has stressed that its engagement with the United States will never harm China’s interests or China-Pakistan cooperation.
The spokesperson clarified the minerals presented by Pakistani leaders were raw gemstone samples purchased by staff members, and the reports claiming they were rare earth samples “misunderstand the facts, are based on speculation, or are intended to sow discord – all of which are groundless.”
He reiterated that China’s export control measures have no connection to Pakistan.
