ISLAMABAD: Days after China officially accepted credentials of Bilal Karimi, Taliban-appointed Ambassador to China, President Xi Jinping’s close aide visited Islamabad, raising eyebrows about potential alignment of interests betwee China and Taliban-led Afghan government.

President Xi Jinping had earlier accepted credentials of Bilal Karimi, marking first formal acknowledgment of Taliban government by any nation. This move, though not explicitly clarified by China, has been interpreted by observers as ‘tacit recognition’ of Afghan Taliban government, which has struggled to secure international recognition.

In aftermath of this development, Chinese special envoy on Afghanistan, Ambassador Yue Xiaonyou, engaged in discussions with Pakistani authorities, including Foreign Secretary Syrus Qazi and Additional Foreign Secretary (Afghanistan and West Asia) Ambassador Rahim Hayat Qureshi.

Joint statement issued by Foreign Office highlighted commitment of both nations to peaceful and stable Afghanistan, emphasising necessity of enhanced coordination for regional stability. While statement did not delve into specifics, sources suggest that China’s recent actions were focal point of discussions.

China’s decision to accept Taliban Ambassador without regional consensus raised concerns, as it departed from earlier agreements among neighbouring countries to collectively decide on recognising Taliban government.

State Department’s strategy maintains that Taliban must fulfill commitments, including forming an inclusive government, facilitating girls’ education, enabling women to work and preventing Afghan soil from being used by terrorist groups posing threat to US and its allies.

Published in The Daily National Courier, February, 03 2024

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