Taliban eye China’s role in rebuilding efforts

BEIJING: China can play a “very big role” in the rebuilding and reconstruction of Afghanistan, the Taliban have told Chinese state media.

Beijing can be a part of the “rebuilding, rehabilitation, reconstruction of Afghanistan”, Taliban spokesperson Suhail Shaheen told Chinese national broadcaster, CGTN, on Thursday in an interview.

Shaheen’s interview was broadcast within hours of the Chinese foreign ministry saying that the current Taliban appeared more “clear-headed and rationale” than it was during the time it was in power between 1996 and 2001.

According to reports, many fear a return to the austere interpretation of Islamic law imposed during the previous Taliban rule that ended 20 years ago.

Beijing seems to think otherwise and has said more than once that it hopes that Taliban will usher in an inclusive, broadly representative government that follows moderate Islamic policies.

Asked if the group would implement similar hardline laws to those they enforced in the 1990s, Shaheen said international reports of violence against women were incorrect.

“There is no subjugation of women, the women are allowed to continue their work if they are journalists, they are practically now continuing their work. If they are teachers, they go to school,” Shaheen said.

On China, Shaheen said the Taliban had kept up relations with Beijing. “China is a big country with a huge economy and capacity - I think they can play a very big role in the rebuilding, rehabilitation, reconstruction of Afghanistan,” Shaheen said.

REUTERS A baby is handed over to the US army over the perimeter wall of the airport for it to be evacuated, in Kabul on Thursday.