China expects new Taliban govt to be 'inclusive'; distance itself from terror groups

Ahead of the government formation in Afghanistan following the Taliban takeover, China's Foreign Minister Wang Yi hoped for the new government to be diverse and inclusive, as well as will separate itself from terror groups.  According to China's state-owned Global Times, the Chinese official made the statements on Friday during a telephonic conversation with Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian. This remark on Afghanistan was made only days after a top Chinese official told the ruling Taliban organisation that Beijing will keep operating its embassy in Kabul.  

China's expectations from new Taliban government

The Chinese government expressed concern over the potential resurgence of the East Turkestan Islamic Movement (ETIM) and the cross-border terrorism, across the Xinjiang area following the US withdrawal from the war-torn land of Afghanistan.  ETIM who is an indigenous Uighur group, also known for the Turkistan Islamic Movement, has been operating from Afghanistan and has long supported the freedom of Xinjiang which they consider as a possible "East Turkestan." 

During a visit with of Taliban delegates, China had previously warned that the East Turkestan Islamic Movement (ETIM) was posing direct danger to China's national security and territorial sovereignty and that combatting the ETIM had now become a shared international responsibility. 

Chinese Foreign Minister conveyed the concerns to Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar, the head of the Afghan Taliban Political Commission and touted to be Afghan's new Supreme Leader, during the meeting in Tianjin. He said, “We hope the Afghan Taliban will make a clean break with all terrorist organizations including the ETIM and resolutely and effectively combat them to remove obstacles, play a positive role and create enabling conditions for security, stability, development and cooperation in the region," as per ANI. 

Taliban's remarks on China

Moreover, the Taliban has declared that an economic return in Afghanistan, will largely depend on Chinese funding. In an interview released earlier this month in an Italian publication, Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid stated that the Taliban will push harder for an economic return with the support of the Chinese government. 

According to Al Jazeera, the Taliban spokesman said in the interview, "China is our most important partner and represents a fundamental and extraordinary opportunity for us because it is ready to invest and rebuild our country." The spokesperson further added that the Taliban have great admiration for the New Silk Road which is an infrastructural plan through which China hopes to expand its worldwide influence by starting new trade channels. He even remarked that China serves as the country's gateway to global markets. 

(Image Credit: AP)