Taliban discusses humanitarian aid, trade with Chinese envoy in Kabul

Kabul: Taliban appointed foreign minister Amir Khan Motaqi on Saturday met the Chinese Ambassador to Kabul Wang Yu and discussed the issues of humanitarian aid, trade, and development in Afghanistan.

“IEA Foreign Minister Mawlawi Amir Khan Muttaqi met Mr Wang Yu, Ambassador of PRC to Kabul this morning. The two sides discussed Afghan-China political relations, trade, humanitarian aid, development, and providing technical education to Afghan students,” said Afghan Foreign Ministry spokesman Abdul Qahar Balkhi in a tweet.

He said that the meeting particularly focused on enhanced trade between Afghanistan and China.

“Also, the two sides discussed increased export of pine nuts and routes to export Afghan products to China. To end, the Chinese side pledged further humanitarian aid in addition to what has already been provided,” he added.

China, along with Pakistan were among the first countries that began engaging with Afghanistan after the Taliban takeover in August this year.

This latest meeting was the second between Amir Khan Motaqi and China’s Wang Yu.

The meeting came amid Taliabn’s repeated appeal for wider international recognition. China is among the very few which seem to have started engaging with the outfit. Other members of the international community are taking a wait and watch approach.