Chinese Foreign Ministry

Amid turmoil in the Middle East, including a Hormuz blockage that drives up global oil prices, China is taking concrete actions to help neighboring countries to secure peace, stability, and development.

On Monday local time, the United Nation Security Council adopted a China-penned resolution extending the mandate of United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) for three months. Meanwhile, Yue Xiaoyong, China's Special Envoy for Afghan Affairs, traveled between Afghanistan and Pakistan to conduct shuttle diplomacy, urging both sides to exercise restraint and to achieve a ceasefire as soon as possible, earning appreciation from both countries. Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson on Tuesday also called for Afghanistan and Pakistan to engage in face-to-face talks at the earliest date, and achieve a ceasefire.

Analysts said China's diplomatic practice, which does not carve out spheres of influence or stir up bloc confrontation in its neighborhood but instead fosters stability and prosperity, is among the scarcest and most trustworthy public goods in today's turbulent world. 

In an explanation of vote on the UN Security Council draft resolution extending the mandate of the UNAMA, China's permanent representative to the United Nations Fu Cong said China commends the efforts made by UNAMA and supports it in better fulfilling its mandate.

"As the penholder of the Resolution, China thanks Council members for their support and cooperation," Fu said, per Xinhua.

He said the resolution reiterates deep concerns over the economic and humanitarian situation in Afghanistan and emphasizes the need to strengthen humanitarian assistance and support Afghanistan's development needs. "We call on traditional donors, particularly those countries that bear historical responsibility toward Afghanistan, to resume and increase their aid to Afghanistan as soon as possible."

Fu also called on relevant countries to unfreeze and return the assets of Afghanistan's Central Bank, and hoped that UNAMA will play a greater role in this regard.

Shuttle diplomacy

China's effort at UN came after its shuttle diplomacy over the recent tensions between Afghanistan and Pakistan. 

From March 7 to 14, Special Envoy Yue Xiaoyong visited both Afghanistan and Pakistan. In Afghanistan, he met separately with Afghan Foreign Minister Mawlawi Amir Khan Muttaqi and Minister of Industry and Commerce Nooruddin Azizi. In Pakistan, he held talks with Pakistan's Foreign Secretary Amna Baloch and Mohammad Sadiq, Islamabad's special envoy for Afghanistan, urging both sides to remain calm, reach a ceasefire as soon as possible, and resolve differences through dialogue.

Both Afghanistan and Pakistan expressed appreciation for China's mediation efforts and said they are willing to address the issue through political and diplomatic channels.

Qian Feng, director of the Research Department at National Strategy Institute of Tsinghua University, told the Global Times on Tuesday that faced with the dual challenges of turmoil in the Middle East and lingering issues in Afghanistan, China has not chosen to inflame tensions, stand by as a bystander, or resort to military intervention. Instead, China has continued to promote dialogue and negotiation over confrontation through the UN platform and regional diplomacy, reflecting a diplomatic philosophy that prioritizes diplomacy over force. 

"Such an approach represents one of the scarcest and most trustworthy public goods in today's turbulent world and global governance system," Qian stressed.

The Taliban in Afghanistan claim that a Pakistani military airstrike on a drug rehabilitation hospital in Kabul killed over 400 people and injured 250 others, CBS News reported Tuesday.

Pakistan rejected the claim as false and said it "precisely targeted military installations and terrorist support ‌infrastructure" on Monday night, according to Reuters.

The conflict that began last month is the worst ever between the neighbors who share a 2,600-km border. It had ebbed amid attempts by friendly countries, including China, to mediate and end the fighting before flaring up again, this time just days before the Eid al-Fitr festival that marks the end of the holy month of Ramadan, the report noted.

Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lin Jian stated on Tuesday's regular press conference that China hopes that both Afghanistan and Pakistan will remain calm and exercise restraint, engage in face-to-face talks at the earliest date, and achieve a ceasefire as soon as possible.

Lin made the remarks in response to questions about the recent Afghanistan-Pakistan conflicts, saying the two countries should resolve differences and disputes through dialogue. "Dialogue and consultation are the only effective way for resolving their issues.''

China has urged Afghanistan and Pakistan to ensure the safety of Chinese personnel, projects and institutions, Lin said, adding that China will continue to play a constructive role in easing tensions and improving relations between Afghanistan and Pakistan through its own channels.

Zhu Yongbiao, director of the Center for Afghanistan Studies at Lanzhou University, told the Global Times that Afghanistan faces a range of complex difficulties, including domestic development constraints, tensions with neighboring countries, international sanctions and non-traditional security threats. These multifaceted challenges make external mediation particularly necessary.

"As a common neighbor of both Afghanistan and Pakistan, China has established a trilateral coordination mechanism with the two countries, which provides a solid foundation for mediating tensions between Kabul and Islamabad," Zhu said. He also recalled that China has previously played a constructive role in facilitating dialogue between Afghanistan and Pakistan, helping ease tensions and promote the development of bilateral relations, while consistently supporting both countries through concrete actions.