Taliban’s FM Leaves For China To Participate In Trans-Himalaya Forum

Amir Khan Muttaqi, the Taliban's foreign minister, leading a delegation of the group's officials left for China on Tuesday to participate in the third meeting of the Trans-Himalaya Forum.

Zia Ahmad Takal, Taliban’s deputy spokesperson for the foreign ministry, said that Muttaqi travelled to China at the official invitation of Beijing.

Takal said that the countries around the Himalayas will discuss economic, regional and climate change issues in the meeting.

According to the Taliban, Muttaqi will meet his Chinese counterpart and some representatives of the participating countries on the sidelines of this meeting.

The meeting will be held on October 4 and 5 in the Tibet Region.

During the past week, it is the second trip of the Taliban’s foreign minister to the regional countries. Muttaqi had visited Kazan city of Russia last week to participate in the Moscow Format meeting.

Despite China's close relations with the Taliban, the country has not recognised the Taliban. Beijing recently introduced a new ambassador to Afghanistan and the Taliban welcomed him in a special ceremony.

Last week, at the Moscow Format meeting, Muttaqi called on the countries of the region to follow China’s model of engagement with the Taliban.

The Chinese companies have signed many contracts with the Taliban in the field of mining in Afghanistan in the last two years. Critics of the Taliban said that the group does not have national and international legitimacy and any kind of contract with them is illegal.