China has launched direct mediation efforts between Pakistan and Afghanistan. The two nations have engaged in intense fighting since February.
Foreign Minister Wang Yi held phone conversations with both Afghan and Pakistani counterparts during the past week. The ministry’s spokesperson Lin Jian confirmed the diplomatic initiative in an X post on Monday.
“The MFA Special Envoy on Afghan Affairs has been shuttling between Afghanistan and Pakistan,”
Jian stated, adding,
“China’s embassies have been in close communication with both sides as well.”
Beijing has made its position clear regarding the ongoing conflict. The spokesperson emphasized China’s commitment to regional stability.
“China hopes Afghanistan and Pakistan will remain calm and exercise restraint, engage face to face ASAP, achieve a ceasefire at the earliest opportunity, and resolve differences and disputes through dialogue.”
The statement reflects Beijing’s growing concern about instability along its western periphery. Chinese officials view the prolonged fighting as a threat to their strategic interests in Central and South Asia.
Pakistan and Afghanistan have been fighting for weeks after Islamabad declared an “open war” in February. The military confrontation has expanded beyond border skirmishes into deeper strikes. Pakistani forces have hit military and other facilities deep inside Afghanistan. These strikes have reached as far as the capital, Kabul, marking a significant escalation in the conflict.
FM Spokesperson: To mediate between Afghanistan and Pakistan, FM Wang Yi has had phone conversations with his Afghan and Pakistani counterparts during the past week. The MFA Special Envoy on Afghan Affairs has been shuttling between Afghanistan and Pakistan. China’s embassies… pic.twitter.com/KQZ8xnM9RI
— Chinese Mission to UN (@Chinamission2un) March 16, 2026
The strain in ties between the estranged neighbors is also attributed to Kabul’s increasing engagement with Pakistan’s longtime rival, India. This diplomatic shift has further complicated efforts to reach a negotiated settlement.
Earlier this month, China sent a special envoy to Afghanistan. This move came after a truce brokered by Qatar and Turkey last October collapsed. Pakistan accuses Kabul of harboring fighters from Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP). The Taliban denies these allegations.
For China, the war represents not merely a security crisis but a direct challenge to its broader strategic vision for regional integration. Beijing’s Belt and Road Initiative depends on stable corridors through Pakistan and Afghanistan.
Islamabad has claimed that Afghan forces have suffered nearly 1,000 casualties in the latest cross-border escalation. Neither side has shown willingness to back down without external pressure.