Taliban’s ‘most important partner’ hopes new govt will stay away from terrorism
China has also promised to keep its embassy in Afghanistan open as a time when other countries are mulling relocating their embassies to the UAE.
When a Taliban leadership led by Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar met China’s foreign minister in July this year, the Chinese minister described the Taliban as an “important military and political force in Afghanistan”.
Within a month, the Afghan government fell and as the Taliban proceeded to rule the country, it said China is the most important partner of the Taliban.
China has also promised to keep its embassy in Afghanistan open as a time when other countries are mulling relocating their embassies to the UAE.
The Taliban claimed that China will also increase its humanitarian aid to Afghanistan. China, meanwhile, said it expects the new establishment to dissociate from terror groups. Here is what the recent statements from China and Taliban about each other indicate
‘Pass to markets all over the world’
Taliban want to maintain diplomatic relations with all countries, they have already clarified. But they consider China as the most important partner as China represents an opportunity to rebuild Afghanistan, Taliban spokesperson Zabihullah Mujahid said.
There are “rich copper mines in the country, which, thanks to the Chinese, can be put back into operation and modernised. In addition, China is our pass to markets all over the world,” the spokesperson said.
Taliban hold the New Silk Road, the infrastructure initiative of China in high regard, the spokesperson said.
‘Open inclusive political structure’
China has been reiterating the point of the Taliban taking a ‘clean break’ from terrorism and form an open and inclusive government that follows moderate policies to get international recognition. China is seeing the Taliban takeover as Afghanistan’s break-free moment from foreign military intervention. “…facts show that in realising economic development we need an open inclusive political structure, implementation of moderate foreign and domestic policies and clean break from terrorist groups in all forms,” Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson Wang Wenbin said earlier.
In the July meeting, the Taliban committed to China that it will not allow the Uygur Muslim group — the East Turkistan Islamic Movement — to operate from Afghanistan.