China said on Wednesday that forming a provisional Taliban administration in Afghanistan is an “essential step” toward post-war rehabilitation and that it is prepared to communicate with the new authorities.
It is a “necessary step for Afghanistan to restore domestic order and pursue post-war reconstruction”, Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson, Wang Wenbin told state English broadcaster, CGTN, in an interview.
Wang Wenbin made the same comment when asked to respond to a query on whether Beijing will recognize the new government in Kabul at the regular ministry briefing on Wednesday.
“We hope the new Afghanistan authorities will listen broadly to people of all races and factions, so as to meet the aspirations of its own peoples and the expectations of the international community,” Wang Wenbin said.
China attaches importance to the Taliban’s announcement of the formation of a caretaker government in Afghanistan and some important personnel arrangements, Wang Wenbin added. China is ready to maintain communication with the leaders of the new government, he added.
Asked to comment on the Afghanistan situation during the interview with CGTN, Wang Wenbin reiterated that China, as a responsible major power and a neighboring country of Afghanistan, has a clear and consistent stance on the issue. “We respect the sovereignty, independence, and territorial integrity of Afghanistan and uphold the principle of non-interference in the country’s internal affairs.”
On questions that the new government officials are all from the Taliban, Wang Wenbin called on the Taliban to consult with all ethnicities and sides to meet the expectations of the Afghan people and the international community. “We have also noted the Afghan Taliban’s promise of ensuring all people benefit from the new government.”
After the Taliban took power in August, China had called for an “open and inclusive” government to be established.
Elaborating on what China wants from a new Afghanistan under the Taliban, Wang Wenbin said Beijing supports the Afghan people to choose a national development path based on the country’s situation.
China, he said, hopes the Taliban-led Afghanistan will build an inclusive political structure, stay committed to a moderate domestic and foreign policy, resolutely crack down on all forms of terrorist forces, and get along with other countries, especially its neighbors.
