Taliban spokesperson says China could contribute to Afghanistan’s development

A Taliban spokesperson told Chinese state media Thursday that China could play a role in the future of Afghanistan.

In an interview with China’s state CGTN television, Taliban spokesperson Suhail Shaheen said China would be able to contribute to Afghanistan’s development after the Taliban takeover, Thomas Reuters Foundation News reported.

China has signaled to the Taliban that it is ready to work with their new government, despite other countries’ hesitancy towards the group. 

“The Taliban have repeatedly expressed their hope to develop good relations with China, and that they look forward to China’s participation in the reconstruction and development of Afghanistan,” China’s foreign ministry spokesperson, Hua Chunying, said a day after the Taliban took control of Kabul.

“We welcome this. China respects the right of the Afghan people to independently determine their own destiny and is willing to continue to develop … friendly and cooperative relations with Afghanistan,” Hua added.

Secretary of State Antony Blinken has reached out to Russia and China amid the chaos in Afghanistan in an attempt to ensure a united international response against the Taliban. 

Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi has taken aim at the U.S. and NATO, saying the withdrawal of troops “reveals the failure of America’s policies and offers the Afghan people an important opportunity to stabilize and develop their own country.”