ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s Special Representative for Afghanistan, Mohammad Sadiq, said he had held talks with his Chinese counterpart, Yue Xiaoyong, on regional security challenges, including militant groups that Islamabad and Beijing say are operating from Afghan territory.
The meeting comes as China continues diplomatic efforts to ease tensions between Pakistan and Afghanistan following months of heightened friction, including cross-border clashes and Pakistani airstrikes inside Afghanistan, with concern that militant groups are using Afghan soil to launch attacks into Pakistan.
“Held productive talks on regional security, including threats from TTP and ETIM operating from Afghan soil,” Sadiq wrote on X.
Welcomed my Chinese counterpart Ambassador Yue Xiaoyong and his delegation to Islamabad. Held productive talks on regional security, including threats from TTP and ETIM operating from Afghan soil. Agreed to strengthen coordination & synchronize counter-terrorism efforts to… pic.twitter.com/Laf1n8cnXS
— Mohammad Sadiq (@AmbassadorSadiq) June 1, 2026
“Agreed to strengthen coordination & synchronise counter-terrorism efforts to protect regional peace & stability.”
Focus On Militancy
Terrorist groups based in Afghanistan, particularly the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) have carried out some of the deadliest attacks in Pakistan in recent years. Islamabad says many TTP operatives operate from sanctuaries across the border in Afghanistan.
Pakistan and China have also repeatedly expressed concerns about the Eastern Turkistan Islamic Movement (ETIM), which Beijing accuses of seeking to establish an independent state in China’s Xinjiang region.
The talks took place against the backdrop of China’s increasingly active role in facilitating dialogue between Pakistan and Afghanistan, driven in part by concerns that instability could threaten regional connectivity initiatives and Chinese economic interests, including the multibillion-dollar China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC).
Chinese Special Envoy Yue conducted shuttle diplomacy between Islamabad and Kabul in March, while China also hosted direct talks between Pakistani and Afghan officials in the northwestern city of Urumqi.
Chinese officials have publicly urged both countries to resolve disputes through dialogue and have supported efforts toward a ceasefire and wider political understanding.
