Daily Times

Spokesperson of the Chinese foreign ministry Wang Wenbin, responding to a question regarding recognition of the Taliban government, said, “Taliban government will need to introduce political reforms, improve security and mend relations with its neighbours before receiving full diplomatic recognition. China has urged Kabul to resolutely combat all types of terrorist forces, live in harmony with all countries around the world, especially neighbouring countries, and integrate with the international community at an early date.”

The advice by China not only conforms to the commitments made by the Taliban in the agreement with the US and to the international community but its realization is also crucial to support China’s push towards Central Asian states under BRI.

Of much concern to China and the regional countries is the security which is threatened by the presence of terrorist outfits on the Afghan soil including TTP, East Turkmenistan Islamic movement and Islamic Movement of Uzbekistan (IMU). China has made commitments to help Afghanistan to accelerate the process of reconstruction. The Taliban government also considers China as its main partner which represents a fundamental and extraordinary opportunity for Afghanistan as China is ready to invest and rebuild the country.

In this regard, it is pertinent to mention that Since July 2022, China has granted 98 per cent of Afghan goods a zero-tariff treatment and increased the import of Afghan pine nuts. The reduction in trade barriers for Afghan goods is aimed at integrating Afghanistan’s economy more closely with China.

It is regrettable to note that in spite of being so much at stake for Afghanistan and the regional countries, the Taliban government is not making serious efforts to stop terrorism.

China’s Xinjiang Central Asia Petroleum and Gas Company (CAPEIC) signed a contract with the Taliban government in January for an oil extraction deal from the Amu Darya basin. The Chinese company will invest $540 million over three years and the contract will be valid for 25 years.

According to the Afghan Ministry of Mines and Petroleum, a Chinese company named Gochin was planning to invest $10 billion to mine Lithium reserves. China also contemplates building ports and depots along the Jalalabad-Kabul Road to bring BRI to Afghanistan.

All these initiatives for reconstruction and connectivity have broader strategic goals for China. Apart from helping Afghanistan to rebuild the country and improving the security environment, there is also part of Beijing’s long-term plan to achieve access to Central Asia. Security can improve only when the Taliban government turns its focus on neutralizing the terrorist outfits on its soil.

It may be mentioned that the 5th China-Afghanistan-Pakistan dialogue of foreign ministers held in Islamabad on 6th May 2023 in a joint statement had also laid greater stress on combating terrorism. The statement said “The three sides stressed on the need of not allowing any individual, group or party, including the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), the Eastern Turkistan Islamic Movement (ETIM) etc., to use their territories to harm and threaten regional security and interests, or conduct terrorist actions and activities. All three sides underscored the need to refrain from intervening into internal affairs of Afghanistan and to promote Afghan peace, stability and reconstruction.”

As is evident China and Pakistan both have an abiding commitment to help Afghanistan in rebuilding its economy by making investments and creating conditions conducive to regional connectivity. The success of their efforts largely depends on the improvement of the security environment.

But it is regrettable to note that despite being so much at stake for Afghanistan and the regional countries, the Taliban government is not making serious efforts to stop terrorism emanating from its soil. For quite some time now Pakistan has witnessed an upsurge in terrorist attacks against its security and law enforcement agencies by TTP operatives based in Afghanistan.

Pakistan is the country which supported the Taliban in their fight against the Northern Alliance and extended recognition to their government along with Saudi Arabia and UAE when they became rulers of Afghanistan in 1996 while the entire world did not acknowledge the legitimacy of their rule. It was Pakistan that through bilateral and multilateral forums supported an Afghan-led and Afghan-owned solution to the war in Afghanistan after the US invasion in the wake of 9/11 and also played a pivotal role in the deal between the Taliban and the US for the exit of the US and NATO forces from Afghanistan. It has hosted more than 3 million Afghan refugees since 1979 and even has been tolerating the presence of illegal Afghans on its soil for a long time.

For whatever reason, the Taliban government in Afghanistan is allowing the TTP to operate from its soil to carry out terrorist attacks in Pakistan, which is simply an ultimate act of being ungrateful. The continuation of this situation can have very serious repercussions as the caretaker Prime Minister Anwar ul Haq Kakar recently warned that TTP attacks were unacceptable while the Taliban government watched these silently.

It is hoped that the Taliban government would realize the seriousness of the situation and refrain from any act that leads to any confrontation between the two countries. If they feel that there are certain issues to be resolved between the two countries, they should adopt diplomatic channels instead of conducting a proxy war against Pakistan. Afghanistan has already endured more than four decades of instability and war and the Taliban government owes it to their people to ensure a peaceful and prosperous life for them.

As advised by China, Afghanistan needs to integrate with the international community by fulfilling its commitments. Fulfilling its commitments would also pave the way for recognition of their government and assistance by the international community to reconstruct its devastated infrastructure. It is an undeniable and imperative recipe for a win-win situation for all stakeholders in regional peace and shared economic prosperity, more so in Afghanistan.

The writer is a former diplomat and freelance columnist.