Chinese President Xi Jinping said that Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) members should help the Afghan government form an inclusive political government. He addressed the SCO heads of state summit in Dushanbe, Tajikistan, through a video link.
Formed almost two decades back, the SCO has eight members—China, India, Russia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan and Pakistan. Afghanistan holds the position of an observer.
On Afghanistan, Xi welcomed the exit of US forces saying that the "withdrawal of foreign troops has opened a new page in its history". He added: “We must never allow any external interference in the domestic affairs of countries in our region under whatever pretext. In short, we should keep the future of our countries’ development and progress firmly in our own hands".
The Chinese leader pointed out that SCO countries should "maintain firm confidence in our systems, reject condescending lecturing, and firmly support countries in exploring development paths and governance models that are compatible with their national conditions. We should support each other in steadily advancing important political agenda including domestic elections.”
Instead of the Doha process, Xi nailed the SCO-Afghanistan Contact Group as the key platform to "facilitate a smooth transition in Afghanistan''.
China was one of the few countries which did not shut down its embassy when the Taliban was on an offensive. China had also hosted a delegation of the militant group in its capital with a view to bettering relations with the militants. It also managed to extract a promise from the Taliban that it would not entertain anti-China terrorists who may create unrest in the Muslim-dominated Xinjiang region which borders Afghanistan and Pakistan.
Beijing is particularly keen that the Taliban restrains the East Turkestan Islamic Movement (ETIM) which fights for the Uighyurs in Xinjiang.
Pakistan also was instrumental in fixing up meetings between iron-brother China and the old-time friend—the Taliban—with a view to bringing its friends on the same page.
China has also been one of the initial countries to announce a $31 million aid for the new Afghan government and is vociferously advocating recognition for the Taliban.
SCO must prevent Afghanistan from becoming a hotbed of terror — PM Modi
