Afghan Caretaker Government, China Stressed Border Security, Anti-Drug Efforts

DID Press: Sirajuddin Haqqani, Acting Minister of Interior of the Taliban’s Caretaker government, met with Wang Yi, China’s Foreign Minister, on Wednesday (August 20) in Kabul to discuss security cooperation and combating drug trafficking.

According to the Ministry’s statement, the meeting also covered topics such as security, border force coordination, trade, agriculture, and training programs. Haqqani described relations between Afghanistan and China as “historic,” stressing that Beijing has always maintained good ties with Kabul. Wang Yi also referred to the long-standing roots of bilateral relations and emphasized the continuation of cooperation.

Wang Yi visited Kabul to attend a trilateral meeting of the foreign ministers of China, Pakistan, and the caretaker government. This marks his second visit to Afghanistan since the Taliban came to power. During his previous trip, he had urged the caretaker government to address China’s security concerns.

China is particularly worried about the presence and activities of the East Turkestan Movement and Uyghur groups in Afghanistan. These groups, which have a history of cooperation with the Taliban, were previously able to operate freely in the country.

China and Afghanistan share about 76 kilometers of border in the mountainous Wakhan Corridor, an area connecting to China’s Xinjiang Autonomous Region. Beijing has repeatedly expressed concerns about separatist group activities in this region.