Beijing: China has told the US that the Afghanistan situation has undergone fundamental changes and it is necessary for all parties to make contact with the Taliban and guide it actively , reiterating that America’s troop withdrawal may provide an opportunity for the resurgence of terrorist groups.

Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi, during his telephonic conversation with US Secretary of State Antony Blinken on Sunday, discussed the deteriorating situation in Afghanistan amidst chaotic airlifts of Afghan civilians and diplomats by the US and NATO countries before the August 31 deadline.

Wang and Blinken also discussed bilateral ties which were riddled with tensions over a host of issues.

The Chinese Foreign Minister said the situation in Afghanistan has undergone fundamental changes and it is necessary for all parties to make contact with the Taliban and guide it actively , state-run Xinhua news agency reported.

The US, in particular, needs to work with the international community to provide Afghanistan with urgently-needed economic, livelihood and humanitarian assistance, help the new Afghan political structure maintain normal operation of government institutions, maintain social security and stability, curb currency depreciation and inflation and embark on the journey of peaceful reconstruction at an early date, Wang said.

Facts have proved again that the Afghanistan war never achieved the goal of eliminating terrorist forces in Afghanistan and the hasty withdrawal of the US and NATO troops is likely to offer an opportunity to various terrorist groups in Afghanistan to regroup, Wang told Blinken.

Wang urged the US to take concrete actions to help Afghanistan combat terrorism and violence on the premise of respecting its sovereignty and independence, instead of practicing double standards or fighting terrorism selectively.

On China-US relations, The Chinese Foreign Minister said that dialogue is better than confrontation and cooperation is better than conflict, and that the Chinese side will consider how to engage with Washington based on its attitude towards Beijing.

If the US side also hopes to bring bilateral relations back on the right track, it should stop blindly smearing and attacking China, and stop undermining China’s sovereignty, security and development interests, Wang added.

Their conversation followed the first round of high-level military talks after US President Joe Biden came to power in January during which the two sides discussed the rapidly-evolving situation.

China, along with Russia and Pakistan, has kept its Embassy in Kabul open.

Wang Yu, Chinese Ambassador in Afghanistan, held first diplomatic talks with the Taliban officials recently. PTI

Press Trust of India