Foreign Minister Wang Yi says China is ready to play the role of a mediator in Afghanistan if required by all parties concerned in the war-ravaged country. Wang was speaking in Islamabad, where he arrived on a two-day visit for talks on key bilateral issues, including the strategic economic corridor project.

Wang said with the withdrawal of the NATO-led International Security Assistance Force, or ISAF, Afghanistan has entered an important period of transition. China has pledged $327 million in economic aid to Kabul through 2017. Wang said China believes it’s time to end such a situation. He said he has a “strong sense” that Pakistan has a “strong will to take a constructive part in the resolution of this matter.”