China ready for ‘good-neighbourly’ relations with Taliban-ruled Afghanistan

China says that it as established an “open and effective”
communication and consultation process with the Taliban in Afghanistan,
according to an Associated Press report. China’s statement comes following a
meeting between Beijing’s ambassador in Kabul and representatives of the
Taliban. The meeting, which took place on Tuesday, was between the deputy head
of Taliban’s political office Abdul Salam Hanafi and Chinese Ambassador Wang
Yu.

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China’s Foreign Ministry spokesperson Wang Wenbin has not
provided details of the meeting. However, he said that China considered Kabul
an “important platform and for both sides to discuss important matters of all
kinds”.

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Even before the Taliban seized power in Afghanistan, Beijing
hosted a Taliban delegation led by one of the group’s leaders, and the
perceived head of its political office, Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar last month.
China is among few major powers to keep its embassy office in Kabul open and
Beijing maintains that it has no plans for a “wholesale evacuation” of its
citizens.

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Wang Wenbin, speaking to reporters in Beijing on Wednesday,
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 respects the Afghan people’s independent decision on
their own future and destiny, supports the implementation of the Afghan-led and
Afghan-owned principle, 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 in the country,” said
Wang.

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While the western powers have been extremely sceptical of the
Taliban’s promise of an “inclusive” government in Afghanistan, China has
largely viewed the Taliban’s stance in a hopeful light. China also has
significant economic and geo-political interests in Afghanistan which could
potentially be the reason for a state that takes an extremely harsh view of
religion in governance to adopt a softer policy towards a militant group
seeking imposition of Islamic law.