Afghanistan Peace Campaign
Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi has urged Taliban authorities to take concrete measures against terrorist groups operating in Afghanistan, warning that the country’s stability is closely linked to security across Asia.
Wang made the remarks on Thursday, October 15, at the seventh summit of the Conference on Interaction and Confidence-Building Measures in Asia (CICA) in Baku, Azerbaijan. He attended the meeting as a special representative of Chinese President Xi Jinping.
Wang described Afghanistan as an important part of Asia’s security architecture and called on Taliban authorities to work toward lasting peace and stability. He also urged regional countries to coordinate more closely on Afghanistan and continue supporting its economic development and humanitarian needs.
The remarks reflect Beijing’s longstanding security concerns over militant groups based in Afghanistan and the potential threat they could pose to neighboring countries. China has repeatedly pressed Taliban authorities to take effective action against the East Turkestan Islamic Movement (ETIM), which Beijing considers a threat to its national security.
Taliban officials have repeatedly said they will not allow Afghanistan territory to be used to threaten other countries. They also maintain that their forces are fighting Islamic State-Khorasan Province (ISKP) and other armed groups. However, regional governments continue to raise concerns about cross-border militancy and the wider security implications of developments in Afghanistan.
Wang’s comments came as regional governments continued discussions on terrorism, security cooperation and development at the CICA summit. Participants adopted the Baku Declaration and called for stronger multilateral cooperation and confidence-building measures across Asia.
Afghanistan’s absence from the summit also highlighted the country’s unresolved diplomatic status. Afghanistan remains a CICA member, but the organisation’s seventh summit opened without a Taliban representative, despite the group’s efforts to increase its participation in the forum.