As Afghanistan and Pakistan mend ties, China could be the real winner
As Pakistan and India exchanged strikes last month, bringing the nuclear-armed nations to the brink of all-out war, regional diplomats worked quietly to end a different conflict — with help from China.
In a May meeting in Beijing, Afghanistan and Pakistan agreed to reinstate ambassador-level diplomatic ties after years of deteriorating relations and a surge in deadly violence along their shared border. Afghanistan was also invited to join the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), a multibillion-dollar infrastructure project that is a cornerstone of China's economic ambitions.
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