2 yıl önce

Senior Chinese diplomat to meet Taliban delegation on Qatar trip

The two sides will exchange views on the situation in Afghanistan and topics of "common concern," said China's foreign ministry spokesman at a regular news briefing in Beijing.

AP

China has kept its embassy open in Kabul but has not recognised the Taliban as the government of Afghanistan.

Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi will meet with Taliban representatives during a trip this week to the Persian Gulf nation of Qatar, an official said.

Scheduled for Monday and Tuesday, the talks are the latest high-level contact between the sides.

“As a traditional friendly neighbour and partner of Afghanistan, China always called for dialogue and contact to guide the development of the Afghan situation in a positive direction and help the Afghan people to get over difficulties," said Wang.

The talks will “provide an opportunity to have an in-depth exchange of views on Afghanistan’s situation and issues of joint concern,” according to Foreign Ministry spokesperson Wang Wenbin.

Beijing long opposed operations by US and NATO forces in Afghanistan, with which it shares a narrow border, while benefiting from the relative stability that the presence provided.

It has kept its embassy open in Kabul but has not recognised the Taliban as the government of Afghanistan.

Wang met with a delegation led by a top Taliban leader, Abdul Ghani Baradar, in July in the Chinese city of Tianjin, shortly before the group seized power from Afghanistan's elected government.

China has urged the group to keep border crossings open, while offering $31 million in humanitarian assistance along with 3 million doses of Chinese-made Covid-19 vaccines.

Chinese officials have called for an inclusive government in Afghanistan but said virtually nothing about the Taliban’s restrictions on women’s access to work and education and other human rights issues.