ISLAMABAD:Foreign ministers of China, Afghanistan and Pakistan held trilateral talks in Islamabad on Monday and issued a joint declaration agreeing to increase cooperation in dealing with security challenges.

The joint declaration stated that a peaceful, stable and prosperous Afghanistan is in the common interest of the region, vowing to further expand security, development and cooperation based on the principles of mutual respect and benefit.

During the meeting, the three parties agreed not to allow terrorist groups such as the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) and Eastern Turkestan Islamic Movement to use their land for security, organized crime, and drug trafficking.

The agreement also emphasized the need to enhance cooperation in various fields including infrastructure, energy, trade, and investment.

The three foreign ministers agreed to strengthen communication and coordination in multilateral platforms such as the Shanghai Cooperation Organization and the Heart of Asia-Istanbul Process.

In his remarks at the meeting, Foreign Minister Qin Gang reaffirmed China’s commitment to promoting peace, stability, and development in Afghanistan, and called on all parties to support the Afghan-led and Afghan-owned peace process.