China accepted the credentials of the Afghan ambassador to China, effectively recognizing the Afghan Taliban regime. This is the first time a major country has officially recognized the Taliban regime.
According to AFP and the Voice of America (VOA) on the 31st (local time), Chinese President Xi Jinping received credentials from ambassadors from 42 countries, including the new Afghan Ambassador Bilal Karimi, at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing the day before.
President Xi told the new ambassadors that China is pursuing deep friendship and mutually beneficial cooperation with his country, according to China’s official Xinhua News Agency.
Zabihullah Mujahid, senior Taliban spokesman, wrote on social media X (formerly Twitter) that day, “China understood what the rest of the world did not.”
Mujahid urged Russia, Iran and other countries to take similar steps and improve bilateral diplomatic ties with Afghanistan, adding, “We are not in a unipolar world.”
In response to this, U.S. State Department spokesman Matthew Miller told VOA, “Chinese officials should clarify whether China has officially recognized the Taliban regime.”
The Chinese side is only giving a basic answer, calling it a ‘normal diplomatic procedure’. “We believe that if the concerns of all parties are more actively addressed, diplomatic recognition of the Afghan government will naturally follow,” Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Wang Wenbin said.
Javid Ahmad, Afghanistan’s ambassador to the United Arab Emirates during the former Afghan government, argued that China’s action was an act of recognition of the Taliban regime.
Former Ambassador Ahmad told VOA, “No head of state will accept an ambassador’s credentials unless they recognize the government,” and added, “The signal is unmistakable. “In this case, the Chinese leadership is treating the Taliban envoy in the same way as other ambassadors, which is a clear sign of recognition.”
Since regaining power in August 2021, the Taliban has steadily established control over Afghanistan’s diplomatic missions, mainly in neighboring countries. It currently supervises embassies in at least 14 countries, including Pakistan, Uzbekistan and Turkmenistan.
Some countries, including Russia, China and Iran, have maintained embassies in Kabul, Afghanistan, but have not recognized the Taliban as the country’s official leading government.
Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov recently stated that Russia does not recognize the Taliban regime due to political and human rights considerations.
As such, the international community does not recognize the Taliban regime, but China’s recognition of the Taliban appears to be due to the One Belt One Road (Land Maritime Silk Road) project and the natural resources buried in Afghanistan.
“Afghanistan is difficult terrain, but China’s characteristic is to go where no one else goes and try to gain an advantage,” Valerie Nique, an analyst at the Paris Foundation for Strategic Studies, told AFP.
First of all, Afghanistan can be connected to the 3,000 km long ‘China-Pakistan Economic Corridor’, which runs from China’s Xinjiang Khas to Pakistan’s Gwadar Port.
“Afghanistan’s strategic position along the Belt and Road Initiative makes it an attractive partner,” said Jalal Bazwan, an assistant professor of political science at Cardan University in Kabul.
Assistant Professor Bazwan also explained, “Afghanistan’s vast natural resources, including copper, lithium, and rare earth elements, have significant economic potential for China.”
In fact, Ambassador Karimi had discussions with China’s largest metal mining company, Metallurgy of China (MCC), last month regarding Mes Aynak, a copper deposit located about 40 km from Kabul, Afghanistan. Metz Aynak is known to have the second largest amount of copper deposits in the world.
Source: Donga
Mark Jones is a world traveler and journalist for News Rebeat. With a curious mind and a love of adventure, Mark brings a unique perspective to the latest global events and provides in-depth and thought-provoking coverage of the world at large.