New Delhi: China on Wednesday officially named it’s ambassador to Afghanistan, making it the first country to appoint an envoy there since Taliban took control of the country in 2021. Hailing the Chinese ambassador to Afghanistan, the Taliban on Wednesday said it is a significant development in bilateral diplomatic relations and added that it is a sign for other countries to come forward and establish relations with them.
According to a report by news agency AP, Chinese ambassador Zhao Sheng was greeted by uniformed troops on his arrival and he met top-ranking Taliban officials, including Mohammad Hassan Akhund, who heads the administration and Foreign Affairs Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi.
“The introduction of the Chinese ambassador to Afghanistan Mr. Zhao Sheng and the official presentation of credentials to the Prime Minister is a significant development in bilateral diplomatic relations. In Afghanistan-China relations, the question of informality is not much discussed anymore. The Chinese ambassador told the Assembly today that his country is interested in strengthening relations with Afghanistan,” the Taliban government said in a statement.
Foreign Affairs Minister Muttaqi said China and Afghanistan shared special ties and Zhao’s nomination was a “significant step with a significant message,” reported AP.
“It also signals to other countries to come forward and interact with the Islamic Emirate. We should establish good relations as a result of good interactions and, with good relations, we can solve all the problems that are in front of us or coming in the future,” Taliban’s chief spokesman, Zabihullah Mujahid, told the news agency.
He, however, did not answer questions on what Zhao’s presence meant for the Taliban’s demand for official recognition.
It is to be noted that the Taliban seized power in 2021 as US-led NATO forces withdrew after two decades of war. Since then, the Taliban leaders have been put under sanctions and no country recognizes them as Afghanistan’s legitimate rulers.
Afghanistan’s seat at the United Nations is still held by the former government which was led by Ashraf Ghani.