China, Afghanistan and Pakistan reached broad consensus on trilateral cooperation and stressed the need to jointly safeguard regional peace and stability, during a foreign ministers' dialogue on Saturday in Islamabad.

On trilateral cooperation

The three sides agreed that the trilateral cooperation among China, Afghanistan and Pakistan has accomplished positive achievements in facilitating Afghan domestic political reconciliation, enhancing regional connectivity and improving regional common development, Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi said.

The three sides shared the view that as a new type of sub-regional cooperation, the trilateral cooperation among the three countries is in line with the hope of peace and development from the people in the region and demonstrated vigorous vitality, Wang said at a joint press briefing.

The three sides agreed that trilateral cooperation should be pushed forward under the Belt and Road Initiative and the three sides are willing to enhance connectivity by extending the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor to Afghanistan and jointly building a highway linking Kabul and Peshawar with international partners. The three countries also agreed to implement projects in the social-economic sector and strengthen people-to-people exchanges, according to Wang.

Wang also said that the three sides agreed to enhance their cooperation in counter terrorism and security by improving intelligence sharing, law enforcement cooperation and fight against terrorism groups.

Wang said that they agreed to issue a joint statement after the meeting and the next round of the trilateral foreign ministers' dialogue will be held in China in 2020.

On bilateral relations

Wang, on the sidelines of the dialogue, held two bilateral meetings with Pakistani Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi and Afghan Foreign Minister Salahuddin Rabbani separately Saturday, as all sides committed efforts to maintain regional peace and stability.

Wang, during the meeting, told Qureshi that the China-Pakistan relations will further be strengthened in spite of the complex and changing regional and international situation.

Wang also said China is willing to enhance strategic communication with Pakistan at all levels to boost cooperation in every sector, in particular, to accelerate the construction of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC).

He said the two sides need to promote coordination and cooperation in international and regional affairs in order to protect their mutual interests.

The Pakistani foreign minister said his country supports the construction of the CPEC, highly appreciating the huge benefits brought by the project.

Pakistan is keen to boost construction of other crucial projects including Gwadar Port, he said.

Pakistan welcomes more investment of Chinese enterprises and will take effective measures to help Chinese companies tackle difficulties and safeguard their security, said the Pakistani official.

He said Pakistan welcomes China to play a constructive role in maintaining peace and stability in South Asia, will strengthen coordination and cooperation with China in regional and international affairs and will continue to firmly support China in safeguarding its core interest.

Qureshi elaborated Pakistan's stance on Kashmir. Wang also reiterated China's consistent position on the issue, saying China attaches great importance to Pakistan's legitimate and reasonable concerns.

Wang, during his meeting with Rabbani, said China appreciates Afghanistan's firm support on issues concerning China's core interest and its efforts to battle East Turkestan Islamic Movement in the country.

China supports the Afghan government in safeguarding the country's sovereignty, independence and dignity, and is willing to implement the consensus reached between the leaders of the two countries to boost the building of the Belt and Road, to continue help in the development of Afghanistan's economy and society and the improvement of people's livelihood, Wang said.

China respects Afghanistan's sovereignty and the will of the Afghan people, and firmly supports the Afghan reconciliation and peaceful reconstruction process featuring the Afghan-led and Afghan-owned characteristics, the Chinese state councilor said.

For his part, Rabbani congratulated the People's Republic of China on its 70th anniversary of the founding, expressing gratitude for China's bolster for his country in various fields, and appreciated China's unremitting efforts and important role in advancing reconciliation and peace in Afghanistan and safeguarding peace and stability in the region.

Speaking highly of China's pushing forward of the China-Afghanistan-Pakistan Foreign Ministers' Dialogue, he said Afghanistan is willing to enhance mutual political trust among the three sides and deepen practical cooperation and anti-terrorism cooperation.

On Afghan situation

The foreign ministers agreed that the improvement in Pakistan-Afghanistan relations is significant for the two countries and for regional peace and stability, said Wang, adding that China is willing to continuously support the dialogue between the two sides and improvement in bilateral ties.

The two foreign ministers said China, always a good neighbor and a trustworthy friend of Afghanistan and Pakistan, has long played an important and positive role in promoting Afghanistan's peace and reconciliation process, pushing forward the improvement of the relations between Afghanistan and Pakistan and maintaining peace and stability in the region.

China, Afghanistan and Pakistan are close neighbors with a shared future, Wang said. The three countries share the aspirations to safeguard regional peace and achieve lasting stability, the need to push forward Belt and Road development and regional connectivity, as well as the expectation to achieve sustainable development and improve peoples' livelihood.

(With input from Xinhua)