Yet Beijing has responded to the latest developments with an incongruous optimism. Foreign Ministry spokesperson Hua Chunying told reporters on Monday that “we respect the wishes and choices of the Afghan people,” as though the Taliban takeover had been the result of a measured national consensus in Afghanistan.
“The Chinese side noted that yesterday the Afghan Taliban said that the Afghan war has ended and they will negotiate the establishment of an open and inclusive Islamic government and take responsible actions to ensure the safety of Afghan citizens and foreign missions in Afghanistan,” Hua continued. “China hopes that these statements can be implemented to ensure a smooth transition of the situation in Afghanistan, curb all kinds of terrorism and criminal acts, and help the Afghan people avoid war and chaos and rebuild their beautiful homeland.”
