Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi has called on the de facto Taliban administration to take concrete, verifiable measures against militant groups operating within Afghanistan, warning that regional security and economic development depend heavily on Afghan stability.
Addressing delegates at the 7th Summit of the Conference on Interaction and Confidence Building Measures in Asia (CICA) in Baku, Azerbaijan, Wang—representing Chinese President Xi Jinping—emphasized that long-term Asian security relies on eliminating cross-border terrorist networks.
Regional Security and Counter-Terrorism Mandates
Beijing’s renewed warnings focus on preventing militant organizations from utilizing Afghan soil to target neighboring nations:
- Targeting ETIM/TIP: Chinese officials repeatedly urge Kabul to neutralize the East Turkestan Islamic Movement (ETIM), which Beijing considers a major threat to its national security and regional infrastructure projects.
- Broader Regional Coordination: Wang advocated for structured regional cooperation to mitigate cross-border terrorism, arms proliferation, and narcotics trafficking, aligning with the newly adopted “Baku Declaration.”
Diplomatic Rapprochement and Dual-Track Policy
On the sidelines of the CICA summit, Wang met with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov to coordinate regional policies on Eurasia and Afghanistan. While Beijing and Moscow maintain active economic engagement and diplomatic contact with Kabul, both powers continue to condition full formal recognition on demonstrable counter-terrorism performance, governance reforms, and regional security guarantees.
In response, de facto representatives reiteratively claim that Afghan territory will not be used against foreign nations, citing ongoing military operations against ISIS-K forces. However, regional intelligence assessments indicate that multiple militant factions maintain tactical presence across border zones, keeping regional powers cautious.