The inaugural trilateral talks held in Kabul by Pakistan, China, and Afghanistan marks an important step forward in building more cooperation among the states and ensuring long-term stability in South and Central Asia. During this first assembly, solely leaders from the bordering Pakistan, China and Afghanistan gathered to aim at increasing economic and security linkages to promote a single plan by which peace and well-being would prevail in the region.

Official sources confirmed the presence of Pakistan’s Special Representative for Afghanistan, Amb. Mohammad Sadiq who met with Afghan Minister of Commerce and high-ranking Chinese officials. Addressing not only economic and diplomatic but also other issues, the participants showed that achieving political unity coincided with substantial progress in economic cooperation.

A great success of the meeting was the consensus among the three nations to increase regional stability through economic and security cooperation

A great success of the meeting was the consensus among the three nations to increase regional stability through economic and security cooperation. This agreement reflects the overlapping interests of the three parties on the ever-present obstacles that terrorism, cross border hazards and the economics of a region in utter chaos have placed before them. The exchange exemplified the fact that peace and development go hand in hand, and concerted cooperation is needed to promote this mutual tenure.

Afghanistan, its crucial position being its location as a corridor between central and southern Asia, plays an important role in this cooperative strategy

The meeting was considered as productive and especial attention was paid to building trade relations and economic synergy. The participating countries examined various measures to augment trade flows, develop connections and create prospects for its people in the realm of economy. Afghanistan, its crucial position being its location as a corridor between central and southern Asia, plays an important role in this cooperative strategy. Membership to regional trade ventures will help Afghanistan contribute towards economic restoration, and its participation in wider regional cooperation.

Renewed support for the extension of CPEC into Afghanistan was a strong point that emerged from the meeting. Originally designed as a bilateral project of China and Pakistan, the CPEC has become foundation of the intent to connect Gwadar Port to China’s Xinjiang region with the respective intra road, rail, and energy infrastructure. The extension of CPEC into Afghanistan proposed may signal profound change for the region as more trade routes and economic boost in Afghanistan are possible.

By including Afghanistan as part of the scope of CPEC, we can anticipate enhanced interconnection in infrastructure and networking, with substantial investment propositions in sectors like energy, mining, logistics, and agriculture

By including Afghanistan as part of the scope of CPEC, we can anticipate enhanced interconnection in infrastructure and networking, with substantial investment propositions in sectors like energy, mining, logistics, and agriculture. This may result in new job opportunities and economic income generation as well as opportunities for interaction with close markets. Such an expansion would increase economic cooperation between China and Pakistan and make them strategic neighbours vital for fostering peaceful relations in the region.

Security-wise, the dialogue pointed out the need for joint action of the three countries to suppress issues like terrorism, drug trafficking and cross-border crime. It was agreed by all that collaborative and trusting cooperation is necessary in the realization of a lasting peace throughout the region. The get-together helped to provide an opportunity to initiate collaborative security and information exchange procedures to address regional threats with greater efficiency.

The exchanges also illustrated a developing orientation from South Asian states towards multilateral tools with a focus on cooperation to address the multi-faceted challenges in the region

The exchanges also illustrated a developing orientation from South Asian states towards multilateral tools with a focus on cooperation to address the multi-faceted challenges in the region.Convening of the first session in Kabul has deep symbolic meaning. It is a display of an increasing desire of countries to deal directly with Afghanistan’s current regime confirming the capacity of the nation to govern its destiny. A lot of Western powers remain aloof from Afghanistan’s government, but its immediate neighbours, like China and Pakistan, are choosing to directly engage and take pragmatic approaches that entail balanced interest in stability.

Although the kick-off meeting is only the first step, it grounds the process of the future dialogue as well as the layers of policies’ convergence. The next sessions will probably have the nitty-gritty details of infra structure building, provision of a regulatory space, and cross-border cooperation. The attainment of the objectives of these initiatives will necessitate all parties in question to exhibit high level political will, efficient institutional capacity and concerted determination for enduring cooperation.

For a cooperation to be credible, it must involve the relevant parties and engage in a clear-cut dialogue. Civil society, business sectors, and local populations must be at the centre to ensure that economic gains can be shared freely by all and to discourage possible disparities or disagreements.

If CPEC is expanded into Afghanistan, the region is poised to gain at a transformative level in trade and connectivity

Overall, the newest first trilateral interaction between Pakistan, China, and Afghanistan shows promise of regional diplomacy. As the three nations focus on economic partnership and security dialogue they are on the long-term path towards a stable and prosperous future. If CPEC is expanded into Afghanistan, the region is poised to gain at a transformative level in trade and connectivity. If the collaboration is well-managed, this trilateral deal can become a strong basis for regional integration, where effective coordination can be witnessed in a region characterized by fragmentation.

Disclaimer: The opinions expressed in this article are solely those of the author. They do not represent the views, beliefs, or policies of the Stratheia.