China tells US that Pakistan's security concerns must be respected

BEIJING – The United States must value Pakistan's role in Afghanistan and respect its security concerns, China's top diplomat Yang Jiechi told US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson in a phone call, according to Chinese state media.

China's Foreign Ministry defended its ally Pakistan earlier this week after President Donald Trump said the United States could no longer be silent about militants using safe havens on Pakistani soil.

On Monday, Trump committed the United States to an open-ended conflict in Afghanistan, signaling he would send more troops to America's longest war and vowing "a fight to win".