China's spokesperson for the foreign ministry said a meeting was held this week between the three countries which agreed to work together to fight terrorism.

AVA- China, Pakistan and Afghanistan have agreed to step up cooperation on fighting terrorism and to jointly uphold the security and stability of the three countries and the region, a spokesperson for the Chinese Foreign Ministry has said.

According Pakistan's Samaa news portal, the decision was taken during a trilateral vice-ministerial consultation in Beijing on counter-terrorism and security between the three nations.

The foreign ministry's spokesperson, Hua Chunying said all three countries agreed that they should step up cooperation on counter-terrorism and security and join hands to address the threat posed by terrorism in three countries and the region at large, Hua said.

The spokesperson said assistant Foreign Minister Li Huilai, Pakistani Foreign Ministry Special Secretary Tasnim Aslam and Afghanistan’s Deputy Foreign Minister Hekmat Khalil Karzai held the Trilateral Vice-Ministerial Consultation on Counter-Terrorism and Security earlier in the week.

According to her, the three parties had an in-depth exchange of views on such topics as the current international and regional counter-terrorism situation and trilateral cooperation on counter-terrorism and security.

Hua said that the Foreign Minister Wang Yi also also met Aslam and Karzai.

“Foreign Minister Wang Yi said that Pakistan and Afghanistan are important forces of the international counter-terrorism efforts and have made great contributions to the international counter-terrorism campaign, especially the counter-terrorism campaign in South Asia,” she said.

The spokesperson said the Chinese side expressed gratitude to Pakistan and Afghanistan for constantly and steadfastly supporting China in fighting the East Turkestan Islamic Movement and other terrorist forces.

She said the Chinese side stands ready to continue enhancing security cooperation with Pakistan and Afghanistan to jointly maintain regional peace and security.

Hua said Aslam and spoke highly of the efforts made by China to promote the improvement of Pakistan-Afghanistan relations, safeguard regional peace and stability and propel regional development and prosperity.

“They said that Pakistan and Afghanistan are willing to bolster counter-terrorism exchanges and cooperation, firmly combat all forms of terrorism and earnestly uphold the security and stability of the three countries and the region at large,” she added.

Responding to a question regarding understanding reached between China and the United States regarding the US South Asia Policy, she said that the US and China have reached a consensus on fighting terrorism and upholding peace and stability in South Asia.

“The two sides believe that maintaining the stable and constructive relations between Afghanistan and its neighboring countries is of great significance to the peace and reconstruction process in Afghanistan,” she added.

Hua said they support an Afghan-led and Afghan-owned peace and reconstruction process, and call on all relevant parties in Afghanistan to achieve extensive and inclusive national reconciliation through political negotiation and stand ready to play a positive role through such mechanisms as the Quadrilateral Coordination Group of Afghanistan, China, Pakistan and the United States.

The spokesperson remarked that China and the United States have important shared interests in combating terrorism and upholding regional peace and tranquility.

“China stands ready to continue stepping up cooperation in this regard with the United States and other relevant parties,” she added.