Afghanistan warns China to beware of Taliban’s sweet promises

Jakarta, CNN Indonesia —

Afghanistan warn China so that it is not easy to believe promises Taliban to not accommodate Islamic militants who practice separatism in Xinjiang.

This was stated by Afghanistan’s Ambassador to China, Javid Ahmad Qaem after Beijing hosted Taliban officials last week.

Late last month Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi met with Taliban representatives in Tianjin and asked for help to fight the Uighur extremist group in Xinjiang, the East Turkestan Islamic Movement (ETIM).

The Taliban has promised not to interfere in China’s internal affairs or allow Afghan territory to be used by anti-Chinese forces.

“I couldn’t believe it, even China believed it,” Javid Ahmad Qaem told Reuters, Thursday (6/8).

The Taliban, said Qaem, only said this to gain support.

In this conflict, China not only supports Afghanistan, but also other parties. This attitude is different from what the United States and the Soviet Union did in the past where they only supported one side.

China applies the principle of “Afghan-led, Afghan-owned” which is in line with its principle of non-intervention.

“China’s position is that they want to mediate,” Qaem said.

The US-backed Afghan government welcomes China’s involvement. Qaem also understands why China wants to stay in the middle.

However, he does not believe in the Taliban’s promise to fight fellow militia groups from Xinjiang.

“It’s the same ideology. How can you expect someone with the same thoughts against someone else, who has the same thoughts?” like Qaem.

The group that is determined to make Xinjiang an Islamic state is indeed considered a terrorist by the United Nations, the European Union, and several other countries in particular, such as Malaysia, Pakistan, Russia, Turkey, Britain, and the United Arab Emirates.

China itself thinks they want to establish a separate state in Xinjiang. They are active in Afghanistan in areas including the northeastern province of Badakhshan, on the China-Afghanistan border region.

According to Qaem, the Afghan government prefers China to be completely behind. “We are confident in China’s intentions,” he said.

Qaem said the Afghan government did not ask China to send troops to support it, but could help in other ways.

He said China could encourage Pakistan, which has long viewed the Taliban as the best option to limit the influence of India’s longtime rival in Afghanistan, to build trust with the Afghan government.

According to him, China can also help channel messages from Kabul to the Taliban, as at last week’s meeting, conveying the government’s call for a ceasefire and calls for an inclusive political framework.

In addition, China can also help increase trade and buy more Afghan products such as saffron.

“So as long as it’s provided, I don’t think China needs to send a team,” Qaem said.

China so far is considered to have maintained good relations with the Afghan government. But it also protects the stakes, staying in touch with the Taliban.

The visit of the Taliban delegation last month was a follow-up to the 2019 visit.

While receiving the visit, Wang called it a significant military and political force, which is expected to play a key role in Afghanistan’s reconstruction.

“When the Taliban came in, China wanted to maintain relations and make sure that it wasn’t on the Taliban’s bad record, just in case they came to power,” said Yang Chaohui, academic at the School of International Studies at Peking University.

“China would normally be wary of any group that operates on the basis of religious extremism, but has no intention of fighting the Taliban, knowing it has no chance of success, like the United States and the Soviet Union,” Yang said.

(isa/dea)

[Gambas:Video CNN]

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