Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto Zardari has expressed the hope that the trilateral dialogue would create further consensus on the issue of Afghanistan among countries of the region.

“Pakistan and China were committed to helping in the reconstruction of Afghanistan,” he said at a media briefing, alongside Chinese Foreign Minister Qin Gang, in the federal capital on Saturday.

Pakistan hosted the fifth China-Pakistan-Afghanistan Trilateral Foreign Ministers dialogue at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Islamabad. The trilateral forum was established two years ago, and the earlier meetings were held in Beijing and Kabul in 2017 and 2018.

Bilawal, China’s Gang, and Afghanistan’s Acting Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi held productive discussions on matters of mutual concern.

“Pakistan is looking forward to advancing our common agenda for regional cooperation under the trilateral framework,” said the foreign office in a statement.

The two sides also noted that peace and stability in Afghanistan remained vital for socioeconomic development, connectivity, and prosperity in the region. “We will continue to work with all stakeholders for peaceful, stable, prosperous, and united Afghanistan,” said Bilawal after the fourth round of the Foreign Minister-level Pakistan-China Strategic Dialogue in the federal capital.

The two sides underscored the need for the international community to provide continued assistance and support to Afghanistan including through unfreezing of Afghanistan’s overseas financial assets.

The two sides agreed to continue their humanitarian and economic assistance for the Afghan people and enhance development cooperation in Afghanistan, including through extension of CPEC to Afghanistan.