China establishes its 1st diplomatic ontact with new Afghan regime

Ks held between uty head of iban’s political ce and Chinese bassador Afghanistan

China has established rst diplomatic contact with Taliban in Kabul after the ant group took control of anistan and the two sides have “effective communica, a Chinese official said on nesday. e Taliban seized power in anistan on August 15, two ks before the US was set to plete its troop withdrawal a costly two-decade war. ijing has “open and effecommunication and consuln with the Afghan Taliban”, ese foreign ministry spokeswang Wenbin said regardhe talks between the deputy

of the Taliban’s political e Abdul Salam Hanafi and ese ambassador to Afghaniwang Yu in Kabul. abul is an important platand channel for Beijing to uss key issues, Wang ained, without disclosing the ils of the meeting. “China ects the Afghan people’s pendent decision on their future and destiny, supports implementation of the an-led and Afghan-owned ciple, and stands ready to continue to develop good-neighbourly relations of friendship and cooperation with Afghanistan and play a constructive role in the peace and reconstruction of the country.”

He also said, “We have always respected Afghanistan’s sovereign independence and territorial integrity, pursued a policy of non-interference in Afghanistan’s internal affairs and adhered to a policy of friendship towards the entire Afghan people.”

China along with Pakistan and Russia kept its embassy open in Kabul while India, the US and other countries closed down their diplomatic missions after the Taliban took control of Kabul on August 15.

Earlier in the day, Russian news agency Sputnik quoted Taliban spokesperson Mohammad Naeem as tweeting, “They discussed the security of the Chinese embassy and diplomats, the current situation in Afghanistan, bilateral relations, and China’s humanitarian assistance.”

Senior Chinese diplomat Yang Jiechi, member of the political bureau of the Communist Party of China’s central committee, stressed on the political settlement of the Afghan crisis.

Attending a BRICS meeting of NSAS on Tuesday via video link, Yang said, “The international community should respect the will of the Afghan people and encourage Afghanistan to build a political structure that suits its national conditions.”