China’s support for Taliban increases: food, covid vaccines, pressure on neighboring countries to help Afghanistan

Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi announced that China to donate $ 31 million in grain and covid vaccines to Afghanistan, At the same time, he warned of the danger of terrorist groups that could escape from the Central Asian country and infiltrate neighboring countries.

The Chinese foreign minister on Wednesday held an online meeting with his counterparts from all of Afghanistan’s neighboring countries, chaired by Pakistani Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi, the Chinese state agency reported on Thursday Xinhua and local media.

The meeting too in the presence of the Foreign Ministers of Iran, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan and Turkmenistan, all countries – along with China and Pakistan – that share a border with Afghanistan.

Wang said that “Some international terrorist forces based in Afghanistan are planning to sneak into neighboring countries.”

“We call on the Taliban to completely sever their relations with all extremist forces. All parties must redouble their efforts to share intelligence and control borders and immediately stop terrorist groups arriving from Afghanistan to ensure regional stability, ”he said.

He also referred to the challenges facing the Central Asian country and assured that “neighboring countries, more than anyone, they want to help Afghanistan out of chaos ”and they should encourage the Taliban to “cooperate with all ethnic groups and build an inclusive political structure”.

“Respect for the territorial integrity and sovereignty of Afghanistan”, neighboring countries should “exert a positive influence” on the country, assured the Chinese Minister of Foreign Affairs.

Wang pointed out that “The United States and its allies are most obligated to provide humanitarian aid to Afghanistan.

“The United States and its allies bear primary responsibility for the Afghan refugee problem. They must provide the necessary compensation to nations that are willing to accept refugees. “, noted.

The Chinese Foreign Minister said he was satisfied with recent statements by the Taliban in which they promised the formation of a government, fight terrorism and maintain friendly relations with its neighbors, but warned that “the key is to turn these words into concrete actions”.

Chinese representation at the meeting offered Afghanistan’s neighbors several areas in which they could cooperate: the fight against the pandemic, the management of refugees, humanitarian aid and cooperation in the fight against terrorism and drugs.

Wang said that China to work with countries in the region to help Afghanistan rebuild its economy and society, as well as to fight against terrorist groups and drug trafficking.

The ministers agreed to institutionalize their future meetings to continue their cooperation in these matters, according to the Chinese Chancellor.

The Minister of Foreign Affairs of Pakistan suggested inviting Afghanistan to participate in the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (OCS) a multilateral regional security association promoted by China in which Russia and most of the neighbors of the now Taliban-ruled country also participate.

Yesterday, one of the spokesman for the Chinese Foreign Ministry, Wang Wenbin, pointed out that Beijing “respects independence and supports the election of the Afghan people according to their national situation.”

Already at the end of last July, Wang Yi received a Taliban delegation in Tianjin, in northeast China.

According to the press release then released by the Chinese Foreign Ministry, Wang claimed that the Taliban are a “crucial military and political force” in Afghanistan, and showed his hope that they will play an “important role in the peace process”.

(With information from EFE)

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