China to host 3rd meeting of foreign ministers of Afghanistan's neighbours

Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi will host the third meeting of foreign ministers of Afghanistan's neighbouring countries in Tunxi in east China's Anhui Province from March 30 to 31, a foreign ministry spokesperson announced on Monday.

Foreign Ministers or representatives of Pakistan, Iran, Russia, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan will attend the meeting, spokesperson Wang Wenbin said, reported Xinhua.

Later, Wang Yi will chair the "Afghanistan's neighbours + Afghanistan" foreign ministers' dialogue. Acting Foreign Minister of the Afghan Interim Government Amir Khan Muttaqi will be invited to attend the dialogue.

Foreign ministers of Indonesia and Qatar will be invited as guests, the spokesperson said, reported the News Agency.

Earlier, Wang Yi visited Kabul on Thursday on an unannounced trip, a day after he attended the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) moot in Islamabad. The meeting was discussed during his visit to Kabul where Wang met with Muttaqi.

"The two sides also exchanged views on the Third Foreign Ministers' Meeting on the Afghan Issue Among the Neighboring Countries of Afghanistan to be held in China at the end of this month. Muttaqi said that he looks forward to participating in the meeting," a Chinese Foreign Ministry statement said.

"It is natural that important issues of the country, including economic and diplomatic relations and other issues, will be discussed," said Bilal Karimi, deputy spokesman for the Islamic Emirate.

Yi's visit was the first by a senior Chinese minister to Afghanistan after the Taliban seized power in Kabul in August. The Chinese Foreign Minister's visit come after he completed his three-day visit to Pakistan where he held discussions with the country's top leadership.

He was received by Afghanistan's acting Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi on arrival in Kabul.

The Taliban has courted Chinese investment in recent months. Earlier this month, Afghanistan's Ministry of Mines and Petroleum said talks were underway with Beijing over resuming work in the massive copper mine.

( With inputs from ANI )