China Power | Diplomacy | South Asia

China’s Afghanistan-Pakistan Mediation Efforts Cast Doubt on Its Influence in Both Countries

Beijing has proved unable to end or even shape the conflict – especially in Pakistan.

After unsuccessful efforts to mediate between Pakistan and Afghanistan by Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and Turkiye, China initiated efforts to resolve the conflict in its neighborhood, which Pakistan has declared an “open war.” The fighting started in October of last year when both Pakistan and Afghanistan conducted strikes inside each other’s territory. Even though a ceasefire was brokered, with mediation by Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and Turkiye, the attacks from both sides eventually resumed due to unresolved underlying issues.

The return to conflict raised significant concerns for China, which is an ally, economic partner, and neighbor of both Afghanistan and Pakistan. Thus, Beijing actively started efforts to bring an end to the conflict, which deeply affects its interests in both countries.

After Pakistan launched its Operation Ghazab lil-Haq against the Taliban on February 27, China expressed its deep concerns and asked both sides “to remain calm, exercise restraint, properly resolve differences and disputes through dialogue and negotiation, end the fighting as soon as possible, and avoid more sufferings.” 

With regards to mediation between both conflicting parties, Mao Ning, the Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson, said that “China has been mediating between the two sides via its own channels, and stands ready to continue playing a constructive role for de-escalation and the improvement of relations between the two countries.” Explaining further, Mao added: “Our Ministry and embassies in Pakistan and Afghanistan are engaging relevant sides in the two countries.” 

Along with clear calls for de-escalation and China’s mediation efforts, she also pointed out that Beijing asks “Pakistan and Afghanistan to ensure the safety and security of Chinese personnel, projects and institutions in the two countries.” China has growing concerns about its own interests in both Afghanistan and Pakistan, which are faced with more uncertainties after the beginning of this conflict.

China ramped up its mediation efforts during the first and second weeks of March, when its special envoy for Afghanistan, Yu Xiaoyong, visited Islamabad and Kabul in an attempt to broker a ceasefire between the countries. According to China’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, “Yue Xiaoyong visited Afghanistan and Pakistan to conduct shuttle mediation regarding the recent conflicts between the two nations” between March 7 and 14. In Afghanistan, Yue held separate meetings with Afghan Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi and Minister of Industry and Commerce Haji Nooruddin Azizi. While in Pakistan, “he met with Pakistani Foreign Secretary Amna Baloch, and Pakistani Prime Minister’s Special Representative for Afghanistan Mohammad Sadiq, among other dignitaries,” China’s Foreign Ministry said. 

Overall, “he urged both parties to exercise calm and restraint, cease fire and hostilities at the earliest opportunity, and resolve their differences and disputes through dialogue.” The Chinese statement also claimed that “both the Afghan and Pakistani sides expressed their gratitude for China’s mediation efforts, reiterating their willingness to resolve the issues through political and diplomatic channels.”

Besides shuttle mediation by Yue, China’s Foreign Minister Wang Yi also sought to calm the situation down. Lin Jian, another Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson, said during his regular press conference on March 16 that “China has been mediating between the two sides via its own channels. Over the past few days, Foreign Minister Wang Yi spoke on the phone respectively with Pakistani Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Mohammad Ishaq Dar and Afghan Foreign Minister Mawlawi Amir Khan Muttaqi.” 

Regarding the outcome of these efforts, Lin said, “China hopes that both sides will remain calm and exercise restraint, engage face to face as soon as possible, achieve a ceasefire at the earliest opportunity, and resolve differences and disputes through dialogue. China will continue to make active efforts to facilitate reconciliation and ease tensions between the two........

© The Diplomat