China has lauded Pakistan’s Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi’s recent visit to Afghanistan expressing hope that the visit will play an important role in improving ties between the two countries. Geng Shuang, a spokesman for Chinese Foreign Ministry, in his weekly press briefing said: “Being a neighbour of Pakistan and Afghanistan, we hope that the relations between the two countries will further develop.” He also said that his country supports the peace efforts being made by Pakistan and Afghanistan. “China is willing to continue playing a constructive role in improving relations between the two countries and actively promote the cooperation between Beijing and Islamabad,” said the spokesman. The spokesman also said that China is in contact with Afghanistan and Pakistan on the arrangements for the second trilateral foreign ministers’ dialogue. China, Pakistan and Afghanistan will hold second meeting of the trilateral dialogue in Kabul this year. On September 15, Qureshi paid a day long visit to Kabul where he met Afghan President Ashraf Ghani, Chief Executive Dr Abdullah Abdullah and his Afghan counterpart Salahuddin Rabbani.