The United States views the Taliban's talks with China as positive. Afghanistan's neighbors have an interest in the region.A high-level Taliban delegation visited China in hopes of expanding and strengthening its influence in Afghanistan. Beijing has soaked them in warm hospitality. China's special interest in Afghanistan or its contacts with the Taliban may seem uncomfortable for the United States. But President Joe Biden's Secretary of State Anthony Blinken has changed that view.In recent months, the Taliban has intensified its international diplomatic activities. As part of this, a nine-member Taliban delegation visited China. The party was led by Mollah Abdul Gani Baradar, co-founder of the organization.
Analysts say the main goal of the diplomacy is to gain international recognition if the Taliban return to power in Afghanistan.The Taliban delegation met with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi in the coastal city of Tianjin on Wednesday. Pictures released of the meeting show Wang giving a warm welcome to Mullah Abdul Gani Baradar, the head of the Taliban's political wing, and sitting down with the delegation.
Earlier, in 2019, Beijing invited a Taliban delegation to visit China. It is believed that China has already maintained informal contacts with the Taliban through ally Pakistan.Wang Yi said the complete withdrawal of US and NATO troops from Afghanistan at the end of August was a sign of the failure of US policy on Afghanistan. He described the Taliban as an important military and political force in Afghanistan.
He called on the leaders of the organization to make progress in the ongoing peace talks on Afghanistan.At one time, the United States was particularly opposed to China's efforts to increase its influence in Afghanistan, but now the country is changing its position. Washington does not want Afghanistan to fall into a full-blown civil war. He was asked about this during Blinken's visit to India. Regarding the Taliban delegation's visit to China, he said China's greater role in Afghanistan could be positive.
The Taliban have recently taken control of more than half of Afghanistan (85 percent claimed by the Taliban) with the withdrawal of Afghan troops. This includes several important areas bordering neighboring countries. Naturally, Beijing fears that if the Taliban come to power in Afghanistan, the Uyghurs could launch anti-Beijing activities from there. China has been accused of persecuting Uyghur Muslims and committing massive human rights abuses in Xinjiang province year after year.
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