Diplomatic recognition for Taliban only after government formation: China

TIL Desk/World/Beijing/ China on Wednesday said it will decide on extending diplomatic recognition to the Taliban in Afghanistan only after the formation of the government in the country, which it hoped would be “open, inclusive and broadly representative”.

“China’s position on the Afghan issue is consistent and clear,” Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Zhao Lijian told a media briefing here answering a question when China will accord diplomatic recognition to the Taliban insurgents, which has taken control of Afghanistan. “If we have to recognise a government, the first thing is that we will need to wait until the government is formed,” he said.

“We hope there will be an open, inclusive and broadly representative regime in Afghanistan. Only after that, we will come to the question of diplomatic recognition,” he said. He also reiterated China’s stand that besides forming an “open and inclusive” government in consultations with other factions, the Taliban must also keep its word not to permit any terrorist forces, especially the Uygur militant group from Xinjiang province-  the East Turkistan Islamic Movement (ETIM).