China, Pakistan, Afghanistan and Nepal have agreed to work together to strengthen cooperation and boost economic recovery during their fight against the COVID-19 pandemic.

The agreement was reached during a video conference on Monday night between Afghanistan’s Acting Foreign Minister Haneef Atmar, China’s State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi, Pakistan’s Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Quresh and Nepal’s Foreign Minister Pradeep Kumar Gyawali.

وزرای خارجه افغانستان، چین، پاکستان و نیپال در جریان اجلاس چهارجانبه خویش روی‌ همکاری صحی، اقتصادی و تامین آتش بس بشردوستانه در افغانستان تاکید نمودند.@Granhewad pic.twitter.com/oPsXFC4GrG

— MFA Afghanistan 🇦🇫 (@mfa_afghanistan) July 27, 2020

During the conference, the ministers discussed ways to boost cooperation in their countries’ fight against coronavirus and ways to boost economic recovery in light of the pandemic, the Associated Press of Pakistan reported. 

Wang Yi said that as a neighbor and partner, China stands ready to continue to work with Afghanistan, Pakistan, and Nepal to overcome difficulties, safeguard people’s health, promote the resumption of work and production and enhance people’s livelihood until the pandemic is over. 

The ministers from Afghanistan, Pakistan and Nepal said the three sides are willing to deepen cooperation with China to fight COVID-19, ensure the flow of trade and transport corridors, facilitate people-to-people and trade connection, build a “silk road of health” and community of a shared future for humanity.

According to the Associated Press of Pakistan, the foreign ministers also stressed the importance of promoting the resumption of key cooperation projects and expanding new areas of digital cooperation.

More efforts are needed to promote the joint efforts of the Belt and Road and explore ways to synergize the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) and the Trans-Himalayan Multi-Dimensional Connectivity Network, the foreign ministers said.

Wang Yi said: “We should support the international system with the United Nations at its core and the international order based on international law, and safeguard the common interests of developing countries.”