China expresses readiness to ease Pakistan-Afghanistan tensions 

BEIJING: China stands ready to continue efforts to ease tensions between Afghanistan and Pakistan, said Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lin Jian. “The most urgent task is to avoid the expansion of the war and return the two countries to the negotiating table as soon as possible,” Lin said. “China is willing to continue to make efforts to achieve reconciliation and ease relations between Afghanistan and Pakistan,” he said, adding that Beijing has been mediating between both sides in recent days.