The recent trilateral meeting of the foreign ministers of China, Pakistan, and Afghanistan in Beijing represents more than a routine diplomatic engagement—it signals a strategic recalibration in the evolving architecture of regional connectivity and cooperation. While not a summit in the formal sense, the high-level dialogue underscores the increasing importance of regional mechanisms in fostering peace, economic integration, and mutual security.

While the meeting’s immediate focus was on regional development and stability, it also fits within a broader context where global powers are redefining their roles. China’s expanding engagement in regional diplomacy—anchored in initiatives such as the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI)—reflects its aspirations to strengthen development-led connectivity while promoting economic resilience across Asia and beyond.

A centerpiece of China’s regional outreach remains the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), initially envisioned as a bilateral........

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