The various unilateral sanctions or restrictions on Afghanistan should be lifted as soon as possible, Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang said, adding that Afghan foreign reserves are “national assets of Afghanistan” and should be used by its people. 

Wang, in a statement released by the Chinese Foreign Ministry, said economic sanctions on Afghanistan must end. The country’s foreign reserves should not be used as a bargaining chip to exert pressure on Afghanistan, he added. 

Soon after the Taliban seized power in Afghanistan, China had said they were ready to deepen “friendly and cooperative” relations with Afghanistan. Beijing also termed the Taliban’s announcement of the new interim government as a “necessary step” and said they will continue to engage with the group’s leaders. 

“We welcome this. China respects the right of the Afghan people to independently determine their own destiny and is willing to continue to develop ... friendly and cooperative relations with Afghanistan,” Hua Chunying, a spokesperson of the Chinese foreign ministry, said last week. 

The Taliban, on the other hand, has already expressed willingness to see Beijing in a leading role in the rebuilding of the war-torn country. 

Qatar, which emerged as a diplomatic bridge between the West and the Taliban, in the last few years, too has said not to link humanitarian assistance with political conditioning. 

(SAM)