IRIA News

Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi arrived in Kabul on March 24 to mark his first trip to Afghanistan since the Taliban took control of the state affairs.

China’s top diplomat has been on a visiting spree in the region after attending the Foreign Minister’s Summit of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) hosted by Pakistan in Islamabad.

Soon after his arrival in Kabul, Wang Yi went into a meeting with the Taliban Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi. Ahmad Yasir, a top Taliban official, announced the meeting between the two Foreign Ministers through Twitter.

During his visit to Afghanistan, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi said that China has never interfered in Afghanistan’s internal affairs and never sought selfish gains or a sphere of influence in the country.

“China respects Afghanistan’s sovereignty, independence and territorial integrity, respects the independent choices of the Afghan people, and respects Afghanistan’s religious beliefs and ethnic habits,” Wang said.

According to the Taliban spokesperson Qahar Balkhi, “Afghan Foreign Minister Mawlawi Amir Khan Muttaqi welcomed Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi to Kabul in a special visit to Afghanistan.”

Balkhi posted on Twitter that the Foreign Ministers of Afghanistan and China met in Storai Palace in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to discuss “political, economic, and transit issues, air corridor, dried fruit export, educational scholarships, visa issuance, commencing work in the mines sector, Afghanistan’s role in BRI & other matters of significance.”

During his meeting with Muttaqi, Chinese Foreign Minister “Wang Yi called his visit to Afghanistan a step towards strengthening comprehensive relations, adding that the Afghan-China historic ties call for further enhancement and expansion,” Balkhi said.

According to the Taliban spokesperson, Chinese Foreign Minister Wand Yi said “PRC conducts a policy of non-interference in Afghan internal affairs or to safeguard its interests thereof, expressing his objection over the imposed political and economic sanctions on Afghanistan.”

Afghanistan’s acting Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi said that the new government fully supports the cooperation between his country and China on economic growth and stability.

Muttaqi stressed that “We are committed to sincere cooperation with the People’s Republic of China, and ensuring peace and security in Afghanistan means peace and stability in the region.” Muttaqi also assured the Chinese foreign minister that the Afghan territory would not be used against any country. Similar assurances were also made by Afghanistan’s Acting Deputy Prime Minister Abdul Ghani Baradar during his meeting with Wang Yi. 

Although China has not officially recognized the Taliban government in Afghanistan, it has been actively carrying out diplomatic engagement with the Taliban even before the group seized control of the country in August of 2021.

Since the western military pull-out and fall of the U.S.-backed Afghan government, the country has plunged deeper into severe humanitarian and financial crises. Despite sharing a mere 75 kilometers long border with Afghanistan, China has been taking a keen interest in the ongoing Afghan situation while providing humanitarian aid to the country.

The Chinese Foreign Minister’s visit to Afghanistan comes at a time when Beijing is due to host a meeting with Afghanistan’s neighbors next week. The Taliban’s takeover of Afghanistan has opened several strategic doors of risks as well as opportunities for China. Maintaining peace stability in Afghanistan is China’s main priority as any turbulence would directly affect across the border in Pakistan where China is heavily investing in the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), a flagship project of China’s grand Belt and Road Initiative (BRI).

After making a short stopover in Kabul, the Chinese Foreign Minister landed in Delhi to hold a meeting with his Indian counterpart, Minister of External Affairs S. Jaishankar.

Wang Yi’s visit to India comes almost two years after the Ladakh stand-off between the two countries. This visit is a part of China’s attempts to normalize the relationship between the two countries especially before China sets up the stage for the BRICS summit later this year.

During his speech at OIC Foreign Minister’s Summit on March 22, in Islamabad, the Chinese Foreign Minister stated, “On Kashmir, we have heard again today the calls of many of our Islamic friends. And China shares the same hope”. These comments did not sit well with India and led to the Indian Ministry of External Affairs issuing a statement condemning Wang Yi’s remarks by stating, “We reject the uncalled reference to India by the Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi during his speech at the Opening Ceremony (of the OIC meeting).” It is expected that during his visit in Delhi, Indian Foreign Minister would record an in-person protest over his remarks.