China expects Taliban to play 'important' role in Afghan peace
Fox News
China has started talks with the Taliban as tensions mount about the future of Afghanistan following the U.S. military’s withdrawal from the country.
Foreign Minister Wang Yi met with the nine Taliban representatives in the northern city of Tianjin, during which he said the Taliban is expected to "play an important role in the process of peaceful reconciliation and reconstruction in Afghanistan," according to Reuters. One of the chief concerns China expressed was over the East Turkestan Islamic Movement, which Wang cited as a "direct threat to China’s national security." Former State Department official and United Nations adviser on Afghanistan Barnett R. Rubin believes the meeting in China was not a show of support for the Taliban but for a peaceful end to the war.More Related News