Power play in AF: Hosted by Pak, China set to attend extended ‘troika’ meeting

China’s decision to join the meet in Islamabad comes 24 hours after Beijing said it was unable to attend the India-convened security dialogue on Afghanistan on Wednesday.

China will join an extended “troika” meeting on Afghanistan to be hosted by Pakistan on Thursday, which will be attended by senior diplomats from the US and Russia, the Chinese foreign ministry said on Wednesday.

The flag of China flutters as a boat is hankered in Hong Kong on September 4, 2021 (AFP)

China’s decision to join the meet in Islamabad comes 24 hours after Beijing said it was unable to attend the India-convened security dialogue on Afghanistan on Wednesday because of “scheduling reasons”, joining ally Pakistan in skipping the meet.

“China supports Pakistan in hosting the extended troika meeting. We support all efforts conducive for stability in Afghanistan to building up consensus in the world,” Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson, Wang Wenbin said.

Meanwhile, acting foreign minister of Afghanistan, Amir Khan Muttaqi, on Wednesday arrived in Islamabad, his first visit to Pakistan, as part of efforts to reset ties.

During his three-day visit, he would hold talks with counterpart Shah Mahmood Qureshi and other officials.