Antony Blinken speaks to Chinese counterpart, discusses evacuation process in Afghanistan

US Secretary of State Antony J. Blinken on Saturday spoke with People's Republic of China State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi regarding 'freedom to travel' for Afghans and foreign nationals. Taking to his Twitter, the Secretary of State informed that the discussions revolved around the US' efforts to support the safe passage for people who wish to leave Afghanistan. Blinken has been speaking to several world leaders including India's Foreign Minister S Jaishankar, Qatar's Deputy PM, and UK counterpart Dominic Raab regarding the situation in Afghanistan. 

US Secretary of State speaks to China counterpart

In another tweet, Antony Blinken also informed that nearly 100 countries have come together with a joint statement to make sure the Taliban stands on its commitment of allowing safe travel of Afghans and foreign nationals from Afghanistan. 

Reportedly, the Taliban had signed a deal with the US to allow and ensure safe passage for foreigners and Afghans who wish to leave. The United States and its allies have already evacuated nearly 1,13,500 people out of Afghanistan in the past two weeks, but tens of thousands who want to go are still left behind. Even though most of the military troops and its allies have been evacuated, the US has promised to continue the evacuation process till the deadline which falls on August 31. 

US, China's discussion on Afghanistan crisis

In the wake of the Afghanistan crisis, the militaries of the United States and China initiated deliberations on the rapidly evolving situation in the war-ravaged state. Deputy Director for the People's Liberation Army Office for International Military Cooperation Major General Huang Xueping held a virtual conference with his US counterpart Michael Chase last week. 

"Afghanistan crisis is one of the most urgent issues of risk management that needs to be discussed. Chinese foreign minister Wang Yi raised this issue in the Alaska talks [earlier this year], but his American counterpart ignored it,” PTI quoted an official of the Chinese military as saying.

While expressing shock over the Kabul blasts, China on Friday also said the security situation in Afghanistan remained 'complex and grave' and offered to associate with the international community to counter terrorism and threats while urging the Taliban to break off with terrorist groups.