China endorses new Taliban govt; announces $31 million aid

TIL Desk/World/Beijing/ China on Wednesday announced $31 million as aid to Afghanistan, its first after the Taliban seized power in Kabul, as it backed the Afghan militant group’s interim government, saying it is a ‘necessary step’ to restore order and ‘end anarchy’.

Taking part in the first meeting of Foreign Ministers of the neighbouring countries on Afghanistan, Foreign Minister Wang Yi said China will provide Afghanistan with 200 million yuan ($31 million) worth of grains, winter supplies, vaccines and medicines as per its requirements, official media in Beijing reported.

The meeting convened by Pakistan was also attended by foreign ministers from Iran, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan, all of them the neighbouring countries of Afghanistan. Russia was conspicuously absent at the meeting hosted by Pakistan’s Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi. Wang said that China will provide Afghanistan with 200 million yuan ($31 million) worth of grains, winter supplies, vaccines and medicines as per the needs of its people