China revealed that it is offering at least $31m worth of emergency aid, to Afghanistan as the Taliban announced its interim government.
The massive aid will also include coronavirus vaccines.
Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi made the announcement on Wednesday during a meeting with foreign ministers of Afghanistan’s neighbouring countries, including Pakistan, Iran, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan and Turkmenistan.
The emergency aid will include grain, winter supplies, medicines as well as three million COVID-19 vaccine doses, Wang said.
“Some international forces may also use political, economic and financial means to create new troubles for Afghanistan,” Xinhua said without giving details.
China shares a land border with Afghanistan, where the Taliban on Tuesday announced a new government that includes officials in a wanted list compiled by the United States.
Ready to maintain communication with the Taliban
After the Taliban took power in August, China had called for an “open and inclusive” government to be established.
China respects the sovereignty, independence and territorial integrity of Afghanistan, Wang said.
Beijing seems to back the new regime in Afghanistan, calling its establishment a “necessary step” in reconstruction.
Duty-Bound to Help
At the virtual meeting, Wang also said that the US and its allies were duty-bound to help Afghanistan, following the withdrawal of American troops.
“The common view of the international community is that the end of military intervention by the United States and its allies should be the beginning of them assuming their responsibilities,” Wang said.
“They are more obligated than any other country to provide economic, livelihood and humanitarian assistance to the Afghan people, and help Afghanistan maintain stability, prevent chaos and move toward sound development on the premise of respecting the sovereignty and independence of Afghanistan,” he added.
Wang also called on the Taliban to cut ties with all “extreme forces” in the country and take measures to crack down on them.
“All parties should strengthen intelligence-sharing and border-control cooperation to catch and eliminate terrorist groups that have sneaked in from Afghanistan,” in order to ensure regional security and stability, Wang said.
(Inputs from Al Jazeera)
(Featured image Reuters)
