China holds first diplomatic talk with Taliban communication 'open, effective'

(MENAFN- NewsBytes) A day after holding its first diplomatic talk with the Taliban representative, China on Wednesday said its communication with the Taliban is "open and effective." On Tuesday, Abdul Salam Hanafi, the deputy head of the Taliban political office in Qatar, met the Chinese ambassador to Afghanistan Wang Yu in Kabul. Notably, this is the highest-level bilateral communication since the Taliban took control of Afghanistan.

• China-Taliban discussed current situation, bilateral relation, humanitarian aid: Report
• China ensures cooperation in 'peace' and 'reconstruction' of Afghanistan
• Earlier, China opposed imposing sanctions on Taliban
• China keen on friendly relations with Taliban
• China hinted at acceptance of Taliban regime last month
• China a friendly country; we welcome it: Taliban

Although the Chinese foreign ministry did not share details about the meeting, China maintained that Kabul is an important channel for the two sides to discuss various important issues. According to multiple reports, Tuesday's meeting was mostly centered on discussions on the security of the Chinese embassy and diplomats, the current situation in Afghanistan, bilateral relations, and China's humanitarian assistance.

On Wednesday, Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson Wang Wenbin said China respects "Afghan people's independent decision on their own future and destiny." Reiterating its policy of "non-interference in internal affairs" of Afghanistan, Wang said China is "ready to continue to develop good-neighborly relations of friendship and cooperation with Afghanistan and play a constructive role in the peace and reconstruction of the country."

Beijing had on Tuesday opposed imposing sanctions on the Taliban in Afghanistan and urged the international community to support chances of positive developments in the country. In the 11th BRICS Meeting of National Security Advisers, China said, "The international community should respect the will and choice of...Afghan people and encourage Afghanistan to build a broad and inclusive political structure that suits its national conditions."

This is not the first time that China has showered such sympathy to the Taliban regime in Afghanistan. Unlike the US and India, Beijing has kept its embassy in Kabul open and maintains that it has no plans of a hasty evacuation of its citizens from Afghanistan. Last week, China had also expressed that it is willing to develop "friendly relations" with the country.

Last month, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi formally met a Taliban delegation, including top leader Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar in Tianjin. Wang had also recognized the Taliban as "a crucial military and political force" in Afghanistan. Chiefly, Wang had also asked the terror group to sever its ties with Uighur Islamic terror groups, whom China considers a threat in its Xinjiang province.

Meanwhile, the Taliban has reportedly assured China that it will not host Uighur militants in Afghanistan. "China is a friendly country and we welcome it for reconstruction and developing Afghanistan," Taliban spokesperson Suhail Shaheen had earlier said.

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