In yet another effort to build trust with the Taliban government, China and Pakistan have agreed to include Afghanistan to be part of the multi-billion-dollar Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) as the sanction-hit country struggles to raise funds for infrastructure.

Chinese Foreign Minister Qin Gang and his Pakistani counterpart Bilawal Bhutto Zardari met in Islamabad for the 4th round of the Foreign Minister-level Pakistan-China Strategic Dialogue on Saturday and pledged to work together on Afghanistan's reconstruction process including taking the $60 billion China-Pakistan Economic Corridor to the Taliban-ruled nation.

A statement by Pakistan’s foreign ministry read, “Both sides called on all stakeholders to work together for a peaceful, stable, prosperous, and united Afghanistan, which would firmly combat terrorism and live in harmony with its neighbours. The two sides underscored the need for the international community to provide continued assistance and support to Afghanistan including through unfreezing of Afghanistan’s overseas financial assets.”

It added, “The two sides agreed to continue their humanitarian and economic assistance for the Afghan people and enhance development cooperation in Afghanistan, including through extension of CPEC to Afghanistan.”

“The Taliban's top diplomat, Amir Khan Muttaqi, traveled to Islamabad to meet his Chinese and Pakistani counterparts and reached an agreement, his deputy spokesman Hafiz Zia Ahmad said by phone,” it said.

“The Taliban have also harboured hopes for China to boost investments in the country's rich resources, estimated to be $1 trillion. The government inked its first contract in January with a subsidiary of China National Petroleum Corporation to extract oil from the northern Amu Darya basin,” it added.

An official statement released by China read “The three sides emphasized to push forward the “hard connectivity” in infrastructure and “soft connectivity” in norms and standards, further explore the facilitating measures for the movement of people and trade activities between the three countries. The three sides agreed to enhance transit trade through Gwadar Port.”

It is estimated that Afghanistan has mineral resources estimated at $1 trillion. Seven Indian companies headed by SAIL had been allocated a huge iron ore mine in Bamyan district by the previous regime but the project now appears to have been mothballed.

India is also building a communication route into Afghanistan from Iran’s Chabahar port. It has also built a road connecting Afghanistan’s Garland Highway with a town on the border with Iran. Another enduring road or rail link from the town of Zahedan to Chabahar will make it the shortest route from the sea into non-Pashtun areas.

Last week, a UN agency said that the Taliban require $4.6 billion this year to help more than two-thirds of the country's 40 million population who're living in extreme poverty.

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