China urges US to continue to engage with Taliban after talks in Beijing as conflict continues in Afghanistan
- Beijing says it remains committed to peace process in Afghanistan and will ‘play constructive role’, after delegation meets special Chinese representative
- It comes after US President Donald Trump called off negotiations with insurgent group earlier this month
China on Monday called on Washington to continue to engage with the Taliban following talks with the insurgent group in Beijing, after negotiations with the US collapsed earlier this month.
A nine-member Taliban delegation travelled to the Chinese capital and met the country’s special representative for Afghanistan, Deng Xijun, on Sunday, the group’s Qatar-based spokesman Suhail Shaheen said in a tweet.
“The Chinese side has paid keen attention to the situation in Afghanistan and remains committed to pushing forward the Afghan peace process, and has maintained communication with all relevant parties in Afghanistan,” Geng said during a regular press briefing.
Geng also said Beijing hoped the United States could maintain the momentum of negotiations with the Taliban, and that it would continue to “play a constructive role” in the peace process.
