Pakistan has always strived to strengthen relations with China, Afghanistan: FM Qureshi

Islamabad: Pakistani Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi has said that Pakistan has always strived to strengthen its relations with China and Afghanistan in the bilateral as well as regional context.

In his virtual address at the 4th China-Afghanistan-Pakistan Trilateral Foreign Ministers’ Dialogue, FM Qureshi said Pakistan attached huge importance to its trilateral mechanism with China and Afghanistan for enhancing cooperation and coordination in the areas of shared interest.

“Pakistan has always strived to strengthen its relations with China and Afghanistan. We strongly believe that peace, prosperity and economic development of our three countries are inter-linked,” he added.

He said the United States and NATO forces had already started withdrawal of troops from Afghanistan. FM Qureshi said while the withdrawal of foreign troops from Afghanistan entailed serious security challenges, it also offers a unique opportunity for peace and reconciliation in Afghanistan.

“We should explore that how our three neighbourly countries can work together to deal with the evolving situation in an effective manner and steer it towards achieving our shared objective of lasting peace and stability in Afghanistan and the region.

The Foreign Minister said Pakistan, China and Afghanistan were located in a region which had immense opportunities for fostering mutually beneficial economic and development cooperation.

“Durable peace and stability in Afghanistan would lead to a conducive environment for harnessing the true potential of regional connectivity and further deepening economic inter-dependence through use of innovation and technological advances,” he said.