ISLAMABAD - The United States cannot take Afghanistan ‘to the moon’ so the issue had to be resolved collectively – mainly by regional countries, Chinese diplomats, scholars and experts said on Wednesday.

Briefing the journalists here at the Chinese embassy, they said that resolution of the Afghanistan issue was ‘our job’ rather than the US.

Director of Centre for South Asian Study Ye Hailin said that there had to be a collective effort by all the stakeholders. “Obviously the US can’t take Afghanistan to the moon. The issue has to be resolved within the region. We are the neighbours so this is our job. It’s not who accepts China’s role or not, we have to play our role,” he said.

Deputy Head of Mission in the Chinese Embassy Zhao Lijian said Prime Minister Imran Khan had visited China in the recent weeks and many agreements were signed. He said that China, as an all-weather friend, will never leave Pakistan alone. “Our financial package for Pakistan is bigger than that of Saudi Arabia but we cannot reveal what kind of package we are going to offer. Our preference is to help Pakistan out from the crisis,” he said.

The US has openly opposed China’s role in resolution of the Afghanistan issue and asked Pakistan not to rely too much on the regional power. But Pakistan and China plan to have a trilateral meeting among Pakistan, China and Afghanistan in the coming days.

Last week, Prime Minister Imran Khan held meetings with Chinese President, Prime Minister, Chairman National People’s Congress and Vice President and discussed the entire gamut of bilateral relations and regional and international issues, including possibility of talks with India, situation in Afghanistan, and counter terrorism cooperation.

Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi later said that a trilateral meeting among Pakistan, China and Afghanistan would be held in December to discuss the Afghan issue.

This month, Pakistan and Afghanistan held 2nd meeting of Refugee Working Group under Afghanistan-Pakistan Action Plan for Peace and Stability at Ministry of States and Frontier Regions in Islamabad. The First such meeting was held during visit of the Foreign Secretary Tehmina Janjua to Kabul on July 22 for inaugural session of APAPPS. The next meeting of the APAPPS Working Group on Refugees will be held in Kabul at a mutually-convenient date.

Ye Hailin said that China and Pakistan held meetings on Afghanistan in recent past and Foreign Minister Wang Yi had suggested a collective solution to the issue. “There is a meeting coming up again on Afghanistan. We all want peace in the region because a peaceful Afghanistan means a stable Pakistan,” he said.

Zhao Lijian said that some elements tried to create misunderstandings on the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor initiative but the leadership sorted out all the misconceptions.

“Pakistan is the main beneficiary of the CPEC. Pakistan is the pilot; China is only the co-pilot and other countries who join CPEC can only take their share, so don’t worry about other countries joining the CPEC,” he said.

About the financial package, Zhao Lijian said that the patient itself also had to show intent to improve economically. “When the patient is in the Intensive Care Unit, the doctors can help but the patient also has to respond. We will do our bit (to help Pakistan),” he remarked.

Zhao Lijian said that CPEC was not a ‘China club.’ “Pakistan is an independent nation and is free to have ties with other countries,” he said.

Vice President China Institute of International Studies Rong Ying said that China could help to improve Pakistan’s economy but there was a big ‘but’ on what Pakistan can do for itself.

“If you ask me, yes, China’s support will be helpful but there is a big ‘but.’ Pakistan itself has to find ways to come out of the economic crises,” he said.

On the opposition, to CPEC by some countries, he said that if the CPEC failed, it will be due to Pakistan or China, not the opposing parties. “If we are committed, the CPDEC will not fail,” he contended.

Other participants including Vice President International Trade Research Centre of Chinese Academy of International Trade and Economic Cooperation Zhu Caihua, Counsellor Department of Asia Affairs  Zhang Zhixin and Second Secretary ministry of foreign affairs Qin Wenci said that he Belt and Road Initiative was a development strategy adopted by Chinese government involving infrastructure development and investments in countries in Europe, Asia and Africa. The Chinese government, they said, sees the initiative ‘a bid to enhance regional connectivity and embrace a brighter future.’