China can play a huge role in "rebuilding, rehabilitation, reconstruction of Afghanistan”, Taliban spokesman Suhail Shaheen on Thursday told Chinese media in an interview. He further said that China has played a positive part in promoting peace and reconciliation in Afghanistan.
In just over a week, the Taliban fighters took hold of the entire country resulting in civil unrest that sent thousands of civilians and the Afghan military making desperate attempts to flee the nation for safety. People there are frightened over the return of harsh Islamic laws that made Afghan citizens' lives miserable in the previous Taliban rule that ended 20 years ago.
While dealing with the Taliban, China is already a powerful nation that can use its influence with the fact that unlike Russia and the US it never fought with or in Afghanistan.
Shaheen while speaking to the China media said, "China is a big country with a huge economy and capacity - I think they can play a very big role in the rebuilding, rehabilitation, reconstruction of Afghanistan."
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China has given a sign to the Taliban that they are willing to work with them, once their new government is created, even though other countries have said they wouldn't recognise their administration.
"The Taliban have repeatedly expressed their hope to develop good relations with China, and that they look forward to China's participation in the reconstruction and development of Afghanistan," said China's foreign ministry spokesperson, Hua Chunying, a day after Kabul was fully captured by the Taliban militants.
"We welcome this. China respects the right of the Afghan people to independently mind their destiny and is willing to continue to develop ... friendly and cooperative relations with Afghanistan," added Hua.
Last month after a delegation of Taliban leaders meeting with the Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi's that happened in China's northern port city Tianjin, he said he expected a moderate Islamist policy could be adopted in Afghanistan.
China has stated that religious extremism has caused disorder in its western Xinjiang province and for a longer time has been troubled about Taliban controlled territory becoming a safe haven for the separatist forces.
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Secretary of State Antony Blinken has been in communication with Russia and China amid the turmoil and civil disorder in Afghanistan as an aim to assure a united international comeback against the Taliban.
Meanwhile, Yi has aimed at NATO and the United States citing that the US troops withdrawal from Afghanistan reveals policy failure of America and this offers an opportunity for the Afghan citizens to stabilise and develop their country.