Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi met with a Taliban delegation led by Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar, the acting Deputy Prime Minister of the Taliban’s interim government, in Doha, Qatar on Monday.
According to a press statement released by the Foreign Ministry of China, Baradar said that although several Afghani nationals, including women and children, have returned to work and education, they “still face difficulties such as lack of facilities and funds.” He requested that “China and the international community will increase assistance to Afghanistan to help it overcome the humanitarian crisis.”
In this regard, Wang pledged that China will help the Taliban rebuild Afghanistan. “China is willing to continue to provide humanitarian material assistance to Afghanistan within its capacity and work with the international community to help Afghanistan alleviate temporary difficulties and realize economic reconstruction and independent development,” he said.
Wang also called on “Western countries led by the United States” to lift sanctions and called on “all parties to engage with the Afghan Taliban in a rational and pragmatic manner to help Afghanistan embark on a path of sound development” due to the “humanitarian difficulties” being faced by the country.
Wang argued that Afghanistan “requires more understanding and support from the international community” because it is currently facing “quadruple challenges,” including a “humanitarian crisis, economic chaos, terrorist threats, and governance difficulties.”
Over the past few years, China has flexed its economic prowess by providing Afghanistan millions of dollars in aid for medical assistance, hospitals, a solar power station, and more.
In fact, it was one of the few countries to offer support to the interim government, by claiming that the Taliban has put an end to “anarchy” in the country and that its seizure power in the wake of the US’ departure was a “necessary step” to restore order.
Wang also utilised the meeting to request the Taliban to “make a clean break” with the East Turkestan Islamic Movement (ETIM) “and take effective measures to resolutely crack down on them,” because it has been designated as an international terrorist organization by the United Nations Security Council.
He explained that the Uyghur militant group, which the Taliban helped train years ago, “poses a real threat to China's national security and territorial integrity” and also jeopardises “the domestic stability and long-term stability and security in Afghanistan.”
The ETIM has historically sought to carve out a sovereign nation of East Turkestan in China’s Xinjiang province. While it is based in Xinjiang, it reportedly moves fighters from Afghanistan to China and is also active in Afghanistan.
Baradar promised that the Afghan Taliban “attaches great importance to China's security concerns” and “will resolutely honour its promise and never allow anyone or any force to use the Afghan territory to harm China.”
Although Wang and Baradar met in July, this is their first meeting since the Taliban formally set up its government in September.
Chinese FM Meets Taliban, Vows to “Rebuild” Afghanistan, Demands End to Ties With ETIM
Wang also called on “Western countries led by the United States” to lift sanctions on Afghanistan.
October 27, 2021
Chinese foreign minister Wang Yi meets with Head of the Afghan Taliban Political Commission Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar. SOURCE: ANI