China has renewed its push for deeper counterterrorism cooperation with Afghanistan, including joint patrols along the sensitive Wakhan Corridor, highlighting Beijing’s growing security and economic stakes in the country.

During his visit to Kabul on August 20, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi urged the Taliban government to step up efforts against the East Turkestan Islamic Movement (ETIM), a Uyghur freedom group that Beijing considers a direct threat to its occupation of the East Turkestan (Xinjiang) region.

“China supports the prompt resumption of bilateral patrols in the Wakhan Corridor to maintain peace and stability in the border region,” Wang said after meeting Afghan acting interior minister Sirajuddin Haqqani.

The Wakhan Corridor, a narrow mountainous strip that links Afghanistan with China’s Xinjiang region, has long been viewed by Beijing as a potential infiltration route for Uyghurs. The corridor also carries strategic weight, dividing Tajikistan from Pakistan, including Pakistan-occupied Kashmir, and providing China with a direct yet vulnerable frontier with Afghanistan.

Is China balancing security and economic stakes?

Beijing’s cautious approach to the Taliban since the US withdrawal in 2021 has been shaped by dual imperatives: preventing militant groups from threatening Xinjiang and securing economic opportunities in Afghanistan. Wang pressed Kabul to “do its utmost” against ETIM, while stressing that stronger security cooperation would pave the way for deeper economic engagement.

Indeed, China’s economic footprint in Afghanistan is slowly expanding. A long-delayed US$5 billion copper mine project recently received a 15-year contract extension, signaling Beijing’s intent to move forward despite repeated setbacks.

In March, both sides agreed to boost Afghan exports of pine nuts, pomegranates, gemstones, and minerals, an early step toward integrating Afghanistan into China’s Belt and Road Initiative (BRI).

China has also promised to advocate for Afghanistan in multilateral forums, opposing what it calls the “unreasonable suppression” of Kabul, particularly the freezing of Afghan financial assets abroad.

How is China pushing for the extension of CPEC to Afghanistan?

Wang’s visit coincided with the 6th Trilateral Foreign Ministers Dialogue involving Afghanistan, Pakistan, and China. The three sides agreed to extend the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) into Afghanistan, deepening regional integration under the BRI framework.

CPEC, a multi-billion-dollar flagship project, already links Pakistan’s Gwadar port with Xinjiang. Its extension to Kabul not only strengthens Beijing’s economic corridor ambitions but also positions Afghanistan as a key transit hub for regional connectivity.

Pakistan’s Foreign Office said the three countries pledged to enhance cooperation in trade, infrastructure, health, education, and counterterrorism.

The move comes as Islamabad continues to blame terrorist groups operating from Afghan soil for a surge in cross-border attacks. China, seen as a mediator between the two uneasy neighbours, has sought to balance Pakistan’s security concerns with its own need for stability in Afghanistan.

What are the geopolitical implications of this trilateral?

For Beijing, Afghanistan is both a security liability and an economic opportunity. The Taliban, meanwhile, view China as a critical partner for international legitimacy and economic revival. By linking security cooperation with economic projects, Beijing is testing whether pragmatic engagement with the Taliban can deliver stability.

However, India remains a vocal critic of the CPEC, which passes through Pakistan-occupied Kashmir. New Delhi has consistently opposed the Belt and Road Initiative, warning that such projects undermine sovereignty and regional balance.

As China deepens its role in Kabul through both counterterrorism cooperation and economic initiatives, Afghanistan is poised to become a new frontline in Beijing’s regional strategy, where security imperatives and economic ambitions are tightly intertwined.