China recognizes Taliban as Afghanistan’s new government, calling it ‘open and inclusive’

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Sep 9, 2021

China Foreign Ministry spokesman Wang Wenbin announced Wednesday that the country will recognize and communicate with Afghanistan’s new government. Several Taliban members were named heads at the government Tuesday. Wang verified that China’s recognition of the Taliban government in a press briefing.

Among the new leaders are four ex-Guatanamo Bay inmates. Obama freed them in 2014 in exchange for Army servicemember Bowe Bergdahl. Now, Noorullah Noori is the acting minister of borders and tribal affairs, Abdul Haq Wasiq is acting intelligence director, Khairullah Khair is acting minister of information and culture and Mohammad Fazil Mazloom is their deputy minister of defense.

First, Wang voiced China’s support for the new government heads, calling their nominations a “necessary step” in reconstruction. “This has ended more than 3 weeks of anarchy in Afghanistan,” Wang said. “China respects the sovereignty, independence and territorial integrity of Afghanistan.”

After the U.S. military left and the Taliban took over, Wang called for an “open and inclusive” government. Now, they’ve given their approval to the Taliban.

“We hope the new Afghanistan authorities will listen broadly to people of all races and factions, so as to meet the aspirations of its own peoples and the expectations of the international community,” Wang said.

Meanwhile, the Taliban still struggles against resistance fighters in the Panjshir province.

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