China foreign minister to meet Taliban delegation in Doha
A month before Kabul takeover, Taliban also met Wang Yi
Photo: Japan Times/ Reuters
Chinese Foreign Minister and State Councillor Wang Yi will meet a team of the interim Afghan Taliban regime during his visit to Qatar on October 25-26, the Chinese foreign ministry said on Monday.
Both sides will exchange views on the situation in Afghanistan and topics of common concern, said foreign ministry spokesman Wang Wenbin, speaking at a regular news briefing in Beijing.
“As Afghanistan’s traditional friendly neighbor and partner, China has always advocated dialogue and contact to guide the positive development of the situation in Afghanistan,” he said.
In mid-August, the Afghan government collapsed as the United States and allies withdrew troops after 20 years on the ground, leading the Taliban to seize power.
A month before the Kabul takeover, a Taliban delegation had met Wang Yi in the northern Chinese city of Tianjin.
China has since promised aid to the neighboring country while demanding the Taliban crackdown on members of the East Turkestan Islamic Movement, a group Beijing says threatens stability in the western region of Xinjiang.
According to the South China Morning Post, later, Wang will begin a two-day trip to four European countries: Greece, Serbia, Albania and Italy.
