Beijing – September 9 (Online): China has pledged 200 million yuan ($31m, £22m) worth of aid to Afghanistan, including food supplies and coronavirus vaccines.
The aid comes as Beijing said it was ready to maintain communication with the Taliban government.
It added that the establishment of the new interim government was a “necessary step to restore order” in Afghanistan.
The Taliban’s interim cabinet was announced last week, with the country declared an “Islamic Emirate”.
US President Joe Biden has said the country is still a “long way off” from recognising the Taliban government.
Meanwhile China has been quick to step in.
Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi announced the aid measures for Afghanistan at a meeting on Wednesday, with counterparts from several of Afghanistan’s neighbours – Pakistan, Iran, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan and Turkmenistan.
He called on these countries to cooperate in helping Afghanistan, adding that China would also provide 3 million vaccine doses to the country.
China has also been vocally critical about the US’ withdrawal, saying its troops had “wrecked havoc” in Afghanistan.
A state official said the US had inflicted “serious damage on the Afghan people from the very first day of its invasion to the last minute of its withdrawal”.
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