China has hosted a nine-member Taliban delegation describing the Taliban as a “pivotal military and political force” in Afghanistan. China has expressed its expectation from the insurgent group in ending the Afghanistan war and rebuilding the country. Some analysts consider this China-Taliban dialogue a rare happening which may bring serious challenges to the Pakistan as well as rest of the Muslim world.

Nine Taliban representatives under the leadership of the Taliban negotiator and deputy leader Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar have met Foreign Minister Wang Yi in the northern Chinese city of Tianjin on a two-day visit during which the peace process and security issues were discussed.

Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar or Mullah Baradar Akhund is one of the four men, including Mullah Mohammad Omar, who founded the Taliban Movement in 1994, as reported by the BBC. “He is said to be second in command to Mullah Omar and also a brother-in-law of Omar. He was in charge of the Taliban’s military and political strategy,” the report had said.

The latest Taliban visit also comes a few days after Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi met with Wang Yi in the Chinese city of Chengdu. Both countries have clearly indicated an agreement on “joint actions” to work together more closely in Afghanistan amid the changing situation in the country.

“Politics, economy and issues related to the security of both countries and the current situation of Afghanistan and the peace process were discussed in the meetings,” tweeted Mohammed Naeem, the Taliban spokesperson, about the China visit.

The Taliban seeking support from China is a clear message to our region and the world that they are going to reinstate the very Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan first established in 1996 or a similar system, says Mobarak Haider, author of Taliban, a tip of the holy iceberg.

He adds, “The reinstatement of Taliban’s dictatorial regime will imaginably be a devastating state of affairs for our region. It is unfortunate that the current US government supports this China-Taliban nexus.”

This isn’t the first visit by the Taliban to China. A delegation was hosted by Beijing in 2019, while in 2015, China had hosted negotiations between the Taliban and Afghan officials in the city of Urumqi, Xinjiang’s provincial capital.

China has been reaching out to the Taliban since 2001 but has been doing so cautiously, says Sabookh Syed, the researcher and journalist. “During the US-Afghan war, China established a good relationship with Mullah Mohammed Omar, the founder of the Taliban movement in 1994 and the founder of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan in 1996”, he claims.

Wang Yi stressed that “the Afghan Taliban will make a clean break with all terrorist organisations including the East Turkestan Islamic Movement (ETIM) and resolutely and effectively combat them to remove obstacles, play a positive role and create enabling conditions for security, stability, development and cooperation in the region”, according to the press statement released by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the People’s Republic of China.

The ETIM is an Uyghur Islamic Extremist organisation working mostly in western China. Its prime objective is to establish an independent state called East Turkestan to replace Xinjiang. The UN Security Council, Al Qaeda and Taliban Sanctions Committee has listed the ETIM as a terrorist organisation since 2002. It was removed from the list of Foreign Terrorist Organisation by the USA in 2020.

“Beijing has viewed the US withdrawal from Afghanistan as a boon. Close ties with the future government in Kabul could also pave the way for an expansion of its Belt and Road Initiative into Afghanistan and through the Central Asian Republics,” says Al Jazeera.

“The Afghan Taliban will never allow any force to use the Afghan territory to engage in acts detrimental to China”, the press statement has quoted Baradar.

“This was the foremost demand made to Mullah Omar in 2002 by the Chinese. Mullah Omar ensured that. Now Mullah Baradar has given a similar assuarance; the Taliban have kept their promise and gained China’s trust and cooperation”, Syed adds.

The visit to China comes as the Taliban are gaining sweeping victories across Afghanistan since May, when the US-led forces started the last phase of withdrawal, which is set to be completed in September. Some media reports indicate that more than half of the Afghanistan’s territory now belongs to the Taliban.

“Security situation in Afghanistan is getting worse day by day and the increasing interference from our neighbouring countries is making our life more challenging. The Taliban’s visit to China is not surprising for us. China and the Taliban have established a decent relationship but the latest visit has made the political scenario more complex for us”, said a Herat-based journalist.

“Undoubtedly, every neighbouring country has its own Taliban groups who always protect their political, regional and financial interest. Therefore, this visit must be considered as a diplomatic step to pave the way for global recognition for the Taliban government when they hold power in Kabul,” he adds.

Invitation to the Taliban from Chinese authorities, according to Al Jazeera, is being seen as a gift from Beijing that establishes the Taliban’s legitimacy.

“Beijing has viewed the US withdrawal from Afghanistan as a boon. Close ties with the future government in Kabul could also pave the way for an expansion of its Belt and Road Initiative into Afghanistan and through the Central Asian Republics,” says Al Jazeera.

China has started tightening its hold on Iran, Pakistan and now Afghanistan by investing billions of dollars in projects like the Chabahar port and the CPEC (China-Pakistan Economic Corridor) says Haider.

“The Taliban’s meeting with an Afghan government delegation in Iran clearly indicates the intentions of this nexus in this region and the strong influence of China – Pakistan looks convinced it has to be a part of this game,” he says. Ultimately, he says, China will want the Taliban, Pakistan and Iran fight its battles against the world.

“Arab countries like Saudi Arabia and the UAE (United Arab Emirates) as well as Egypt and Turkey look disinterested in the reemergence of the Taliban. Moreover, Russia and some other regional powers will not agree to being cornered either by China herself or by her nexus. It appears that Pakistan still has a chance to rethink its position. This decision is going to decide the future of both our nation and the region,” says Haider.

The writer is a staff member. He can be reached at warraichshehryar@gmail.com