ISLAMABAD: Pakistan and China on Monday pledged closer coordination on Afghanistan.

The understanding on enhanced cooperation for peace in Afghanistan was reached at a meeting of Chinese Special Envoy on Afghan Affairs Deng Xijun with Foreign Secretary Tehmina Janjua for a discussion on efforts for peace and stability in the war-torn country.

“They agreed to strengthen cooperation in the ongoing efforts for facilitating peace and reconciliation in Afghanistan as well as promoting meaningful engagement between the three neighbourly countries,” a Foreign Office statement on the meeting said.

Pakistan and China are already closely working together on Afghanistan and have been part of a number of processes for peace and stability there.

Ambassador Deng is visiting Pakistan as the country reels from the shock of US President Donald Trump’s new policy for Afghanistan and South Asia in which it was severely criticised for allegedly allowing terrorist sanctuaries on its soil and India was given a greater regional role.

Published in Dawn, August 29th, 2017