Taliban confirms China visit last year
Staff Reporter
2015-01-29
Afghan president Ashraf Ghani delivers an address during a visit to Beijing, October 2014. (Photo/CFP)
The Taliban has confirmed that it sent a delegation to China last year to "expand relations," according to a report from German international broadcaster Deutsche Welle's Chinese website.
The delegation was reported headed by Qari Din Muhammad Hanif, a senior negotiator who help set up the Taliban political office in Qatar in 2013.
On Tuesday, Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid denied suggestions that the visit was aimed at seeking Beijing's mediation in any future peace talks with between the Afghan Islamic fundamentalist group and the administration of Afghan president Ashraf Ghani.
"The Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan has had longstanding relations with the world, and has paid visits globally, particularly neighbours, and China is one of them. We have not sought China's mediation in any peace talks with the government, but we want good relations with the world, especially neighbours," Mujahid said in a statement.
"The Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan will continue visits, and maintain and expand relations and contacts with China and other neighbouring countries to convey its stance," he addded.
Aghan president Ashraf Ghani said during his visit to Beijing last October that China is a "key participant" in promoting regional peace, while the Chinese government responded by saying that it was prepared to provide assistance in mediating peace talks.
Abdul Salam Zaeef, the former Taliban ambassador to Pakistan, told US media in 2001 that the Taliban had positive ties to China prior to 9/11 and that two sides had previously discussed the East Turkestan independence movement originating from northwest China's Xinjiang Uyghur autonomous region.
At the time, former Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson Zhu Bangzao described as "absurd" any suggestion that China had been involved in any manner with the Taliban, adding that Beijing has never interfered in Afghanistan's internal politics.
Paul Beaver, a expert on China formerly at Britain's Jane's Defence Weekly, says there is nothing unusual about China having been in contact with the Taliban considering that Afghanistan is a neighboring country.
Other analysts have suggested that many Islamic separatists in China are actually financed by the Taliban, which is why there must be contact between Taliban authorities and Beijing, though this does not mean that they have any shared interests.
