China, Iran, Pakistan agree to hold regular anti-terror talks as concerns grow over cross-border insurgency

Decision comes after Chinese foreign ministry’s external security affairs chief holds first such meeting with Iranian and Pakistani counterparts in Beijing

Move to ‘institutionalise’ the counterterror security consultation made under China’s Global Security Initiative, Chinese foreign ministry says

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Pakistani police inspect a site around damaged vehicles following a deadly suicide bombing near the Confucius Institute affiliated with Karachi University in August last year. Three Chinese nationals were among the four people killed. Photo: AFP

Published: 10:15pm, 8 Jun 2023Updated: 12:29am, 9 Jun 2023

China, Pakistan and Iran have agreed to hold regular anti-terror talks following their first trilateral meeting on regional security issues.

The Chinese foreign ministry’s external security affairs director, Bai Tian, met his Pakistani and Iranian counterparts in Beijing on Wednesday to review regional counterterror efforts and discuss joint action “to tackle the cross-border movement of terrorists”, according to a statement from the ministry.

Bai also held separate one-on-one meetings with Abdul Hameed, director general of the Pakistani foreign ministry, as well as Seyed Rasoul Mosavi, assistant foreign minister and director general for South Asia at the Iranian foreign ministry.

Chinese assistant foreign minister Nong Rong also hosted a separate meeting with Hameed and Mosavi.

“[The three sides] decided to institutionalise the trilateral counterterrorism security consultation,” Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Wang Wenbin said, describing the consultation mechanism as part of China’s “Global Security Initiative” proposed in February.

“China resolutely opposes and strongly condemns all forms of terrorism, and is willing to stand with Pakistan and Iran for close cooperation to crack down on terrorist forces that threaten the three countries’ interests and regional security,” Wang told a regular press briefing on Thursday.