Beijing can’t yet trust Taliban’s terrorism promises, Chinese experts warn

Doubts over Taliban’s ability to cut ties with forces requested by China, because it has fought alongside them, experts say

China does not yet recognise Taliban government, but building relations after the group took power in Afghanistan may aid counterterrorism efforts

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Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi (centre) welcomes a Taliban delegation in Tianjin last month. Photo: Twitter

Published: 1:00pm, 19 Aug 2021Updated: 3:17pm, 19 Aug 2021

In the weeks before the Taliban seized power in Afghanistan, Beijing made efforts to strengthen its ties with the militant group by receiving a delegation and referring to it as an important political and military force.

But in talks with the Taliban’s chief negotiator Mullah Abdul Ghani, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi also demanded the group cut ties with other extremist forces including the East Turkestan Islamic Movement (ETIM), which China says caused violent attacks in its highly sensitive western region of Xinjiang. The group promised Afghan soil would not be used to plot against China.

As the Taliban took control of Kabul on Sunday, Beijing urged it to implement moderate religious policies and maintain friendly relations with other nations.

Diplomatic observers said that although Beijing was still far from recognising the group as the legitimate government, it considered closer relations with the Taliban to be crucial for its counterterrorism efforts in the region.

The Taliban’s bloody advance in Afghanistan raised fears for Beijing that the turmoil could spill across the border into Xinjiang. Beijing remains sceptical as to whether the Taliban will keep its promise to cut ties with terrorist groups.

Even if the Taliban believes its legitimacy has been boosted by the meeting with China, analysts said it would face a challenge in acceding to requests to clamp down on the ETIM.

Yang Shu, former dean of central Asia studies at Lanzhou University, said groups such as al-Qaeda, Islamic State and ETIM were still active in Afghanistan.

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