After the Taliban took over Kabul on Aug. 15, both the Chinese regime and the Taliban said they looked forward to building a friendship with each other. The Chinese regime, however, has come short of recognizing the Taliban as the legitimate rulers, whereas the Taliban has said that China can contribute to Afghanistan’s development.
While reports continue to come of the Taliban conducting door-to-door searches and killing people, including journalists and women, the Taliban spokesperson has been giving interviews offering amnesty, women’s rights, and media freedom. Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Hua Chunying, in a press conference on Aug. 19, seemed to support the Taliban narrative, saying the “Afghan Taliban will not repeat the history of the past and now they are more clear-eyed and rational.”
