Growing Chinese Distrust of the Taliban; Beijing Turns to Security Options.
China’s distrust of the Taliban has increased following an attack on a restaurant belonging to Chinese nationals in Kabul.
At the same time, China’s representative to the United Nations has expressed concern about the activities of terrorist groups inside Afghanistan, a position that suggests Beijing has serious doubts about the Taliban’s ability to control security threats.
Meanwhile, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi said in a phone call with his Pakistani counterpart that China “firmly” supports Pakistan’s fight against terrorism.
He also stated that China’s special envoy for Afghanistan is in contact with officials from the Taliban and Pakistan in an effort to facilitate dialogue and reduce tensions, a move observers say reflects growing security concerns in Beijing regarding Afghanistan.
In another development, an Uzbek media outlet reported that Tajikistan’s parliament has approved an agreement under which China will finance the construction of nine new border complexes for Tajik border forces along the frontier with Afghanistan.
The project is estimated to cost more than 424 million Chinese yuan, equivalent to about 63.7 million U.S. dollars, and will be funded through a grant from China.
Analysts say the move reflects Beijing’s effort to strengthen a security belt around Afghanistan and is a response to China’s growing distrust of the Taliban.
