China States Afghanistan and Pakistan Agree to De-escalate Conflict

Pakistan and Afghanistan have agreed to avoid escalation in their armed conflict during talks hosted by China over the past few days. Beijing revealed that the two countries have agreed to restore their bilateral relations.

According to AFP on Wednesday (8/4/2026), these neighbouring countries and former allies have been engaged in violent confrontations over claims from Islamabad that Afghanistan is harbouring militants responsible for cross-border attacks, which the Taliban government denies.

Hostilities escalated sharply at the end of February, when Pakistani airstrikes were followed by Afghan ground attacks, with Islamabad declaring “open war”.

On 16 March, a Pakistani strike on a hospital in Kabul killed hundreds of civilians, sparking international condemnation and renewed calls for talks to end the conflict.

“Representatives from China, Afghanistan, and Pakistan held an informal meeting for a week in Urumqi, Xinjiang, from 1 to 7 April,” said spokesperson for China’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Mao Ning.

The three delegations “engaged in frank and pragmatic discussions in a positive atmosphere,” she said at a regular press conference in Beijing.

According to the spokesperson, Afghanistan and Pakistan expressed “their commitment to resolving their differences as soon as possible and realising the return of normal bilateral relations, agreeing not to take any actions that would escalate or complicate the situation”.

Diplomats from Pakistan and Afghanistan had reported on the talks hosted by China last week, but Beijing had not confirmed them until now.

The ceasefire implemented during the Eid al-Fitr holiday, marking the end of the fasting month of Ramadan, ended on 24 March. The land border between Pakistan and Afghanistan was almost completely closed during the fighting, resulting in significant economic consequences.