BEIJING: Foreign Minister Khawaja Asif will attend a trilateral dialogue between the foreign ministers of China, Pakistan and Afghanistan to be held in Beijing on December 26 to discuss development, security and counter-terrorism.

?It will be the first meeting of its kind since the three countries agreed to establish a trilateral dialogue mechanism in June,? Hua Chunying, a spokesperson for Chinese foreign ministry, said during a routine press briefing here on Thursday.

Elaborating on the dialogue, she said the three foreign ministers will have an in-depth exchange on mutual trust and reconciliation, development and connectivity, security cooperation and counter-terrorism.

The spokesperson said that as a common neighbour and friend of Pakistan and Afghanistan, China has always supported the friendly cooperation between the two countries and their common development.

?In June this year, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi conducted a shuttle diplomacy between the two countries and the three sides agreed to establish a dialogue mechanism for foreign ministers and set up a platform for enhancing tripartite dialogue and cooperation,? Chunying added.

She said China hopes that the meeting will promote trilateral cooperation and enhance peace, stability and development in the region.