Taliban Calls China One Of Its Most Important Economic Partners

The Taliban has described China as one of its most important economic partners during high-level talks held in Beijing on Wednesday, 21 May.

The meeting between Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi and Taliban Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi focused on strengthening economic cooperation and bilateral relations.

Muttaqi underscored the importance of ongoing collaboration between Taliban commissions and their Chinese counterparts, and reaffirmed the Taliban’s commitment to regional security. He assured Chinese officials that Afghan territory would not be used to threaten neighbouring countries.

Hafiz Zia Ahmad Takal, deputy spokesperson for the Taliban’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, wrote on the social media platform X that Wang Yi had pledged continued political and economic support for Afghanistan. Yi also reportedly committed to addressing trade barriers, particularly in facilitating Afghan agricultural exports to China.

According to Takal, the Chinese foreign minister stated that China would not hesitate to support Afghanistan’s economic development.

In addition to the bilateral meeting, China also hosted an informal trilateral dialogue with the foreign ministers of Pakistan and the Taliban. Wang Yi, Pakistani Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Mohammad Ishaq Dar, and Amir Khan Muttaqi discussed regional security and economic integration, agreeing to extend the China–Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) into Afghanistan.

A statement from Pakistan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs said the three parties viewed trilateral cooperation as a critical platform for advancing regional security and economic connectivity.