US says it can still work with China to bring peace to Afghanistan

The State Department says the two countries have ‘an alignment of interests’ in stabilising the country after years of conflict

China recently hosted a Taliban delegation and one observer said the US is ‘OK with that’ but would worry if they seemed to be getting too close

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Fighting has intensified after the US announced its withdrawal. Photo: Reuters

Published: 10:30pm, 5 Aug 2021Updated: 10:37pm, 16 Aug 2021

The US has said Afghanistan is one area that it can work with China to ensure peace and stability after its forces pull out.

“When it comes to the PRC [People’s Republic of China], again, this is one of those areas where we do have an alignment of interests,” Ned Price, the US State Department’s spokesman, told a press conference when asked about the Taliban’s recent meeting with Chinese officials.

“It is in no one’s interest to see an Afghanistan that lacks security, that lacks stability, that lacks prosperity, that is ravaged by violence.”

The US sees China as its biggest strategic rival and the competition between the two sides has intensified in recent years, but they have made efforts to cooperate in certain areas, such as tackling climate change and in resolving regional conflicts.

Beijing has said that the cooperation should be based on mutual trust and called on the US to show sincerity. Foreign vice-minister Xie Feng recently told deputy secretary of state Wendy Sherman that the US “can’t expect China to cooperate with it on hot issues unconditionally while suppressing and containing China”.

China has been actively promoting national reconciliation talks between Afghan government and the Taliban, which now controls more than half of the country.