China on Wednesday said it has a smooth and effective communication channel with the Taliban following a meeting between representatives of the group and the Chinese ambassador to Kabul on Tuesday.
Abdul Salam Hanafi, the deputy head of the Taliban political office in Qatar, met Chinese ambassador to Afghanistan Wang Yu in Kabul on Tuesday.
The Chinese foreign ministry did not share details about the meeting, the highest level one since the upheaval in Afghanistan.
It was the latest instance of Beijing seeking to establish smooth ties with the insurgent group that swept to power following the pullback by western military forces.
Earlier in the day, Russian news agency, Sputnik quoted a Taliban spokesperson Mohammad Naeem as tweeting: “They discussed the security of the Chinese embassy and diplomats, the current situation in Afghanistan, bilateral relations and China’s humanitarian assistance.”
Asked about the meeting in Beijing, Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson, Wang Wenbin said Kabul is an important channel for the two sides to discuss various important issues.
Wang described it as “open and effective communication and consultation with the Afghan Taliban”.
“We have always respected Afghanistan’s sovereign independence and territorial integrity, pursued a policy of non-interference in Afghanistan’s internal affairs and adhered to a policy of friendship towards the entire Afghan people,” Wang said on Wednesday in Beijing.
On Tuesday, the Chinese foreign ministry had said that imposing sanctions on the Taliban in Afghanistan will prove counterproductive, and had urged the international community to support chances for positive developments in the country.
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