DND News: Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi is on an important regional tour that began from India, where he stated that “China and India should be partners, not adversaries.” He will reach Kabul on August 20, 2025, for Afghanistan-China-Pakistan Trilateral Talks, and will then proceed to Islamabad on August 21, 2025.
Foreign Minister Wang Yi is proactively building regional connections where China has significant economic and strategic interests. He also held an exclusive meeting with India’s National Security Advisor Ajit Doval. Regional experts believe the two likely discussed cross-border terrorism allegedly sponsored by India, which has targeted Chinese citizens in Pakistan and disrupted strategically important projects such as the ML-1 Railway Project under CPEC. Security concerns for Chinese engineers have caused major delays, as China cannot risk deploying its citizens on open and remote project sites.
The ML-1 Railway Project was conceived in 2014. Following a feasibility study, its cost was estimated at US$ 9.2 billion. A preliminary design was prepared and reviewed by a third party. The project, spanning 1,726 km, will be executed in phases to enhance connectivity between Karachi, Multan, Lahore, and Peshawar, with train speeds potentially reaching up to 160 km/h after further upgrades. The upgrade and doubling of the Main Line-1 (ML-1), covering 1,733 km from Karachi to Peshawar and from Taxila to Havelian, will facilitate heavy cargo movement from Karachi to the Karakoram Highway (KKH), which links Pakistan with China. In the future, this line is expected to connect to Central Asia, as Pakistan, Uzbekistan, and Afghanistan are working on a railway link connecting Uzbekistan with Peshawar via Afghanistan.
Cross-border terrorism originating from Afghanistan—with alleged financial and technical support from India and logistical support from Afghan groups—poses a serious threat to Chinese interests in the region. It is expected that terrorism will be a key subject of discussion during the Afghanistan-China-Pakistan Trilateral Talks on August 20, 2025, in Kabul.
When asked to comment on the outcome of August 20, 2025 meeting in Kabul, a retired Diplomat with the condition of anonymity said:
“Whatever one may say about the Taliban, they care little about external pressures or powers. They act solely according to their own thinking and interests. The Chinese cannot expect to spring any surprises on them. The Taliban operate on a simple principle: they do what they believe is best for themselves, with little concern for others.”.
