China welcomes Pakistan-Afghanistan Eid al-Adha ceasefire

China on Thursday welcomed the agreement between Pakistan and Afghanistan to observe a temporary ceasefire during the Muslim holiday of Eid al-Adha, saying it hopes the two neighbors will maintain calm and restrain, resume peace talks promptly, and achieve a comprehensive and lasting ceasefire at the earliest.

Foreign Ministry spokesman Lin Jian made the remarks after the two countries said they were suspending fighting at the request of Saudi Arabia, Turkiye and Qatar. The ceasefire is set to run from midnight Wednesday to midnight Monday.

Lin said the two sides should appropriately resolve their differences through dialogue and jointly safeguard regional peace and stability.

He also expressed China's appreciation for efforts made by relevant Islamic countries to promote the ceasefire.

"China has been mediating the Pakistan-Afghanistan conflict through its own channels and stands ready to continue playing a constructive role," Lin added.