China reaches out to Afghanistan’s Taliban regime

Chinese Foreign Minister Wan Yi has travelled to India, Pakistan and Afghanistan. It seems that it is his visit to Kabul and his meetings with Afghanistan's acting Prime Minister Hasan Akhund and Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi that merit attention. Even while he was on the Pakistan leg of the series of visits, Wang mooted that the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor which runs parallel to the Pakistan-Afghanistan border should include Afghanistan as well because of the threat of terrorism from the Islamist groups in the border region.

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While in Kabul, he had more specific concerns which focused on the 46-mile border between Afghanistan and China, especially with the Chinese province of Xinjiang. In Xinjiang China is facing the problem of Uighur Muslim rebels, and China does not want any movement of the rebels on the border coming into China from Afghanistan.

Beijing is also concerned about the activities of the East Turkestan Islamic Movement (ETIM). Afghanistan's acting Prime Minister Akhund had assured Wang that there would not be any attack on China from Afghan territory. He promised that Afghanistan would “never allow any force to use Afghan territory to threaten China.”

In a statement issued by Afghanistan, Akhund said, “China and Afghanistan are two strong and longstanding friends. We appreciate China’s constructive stance, support and cooperation regarding Afghanistan on the international stage.” Interestingly, China is yet to recognize the Taliban regime.