China extends $1 million aid to Taliban-ruled Afghanistan, promises $5 million more

Kabul: China has extended a financial aid of USD 1 million to Taliban-led Afghanistan. The country has also promised to provide USD 5 million more in humanitarian aid, especially medicine and food, Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid said,  TOLOnews reported.

China on Monday promised to help the Taliban "restore stability" and “rebuild the country” during its first high-level in-person meeting between Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi and Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar, the Taliban’s Acting Deputy Prime Minister, in the Qatari capital of Doha.

It was the first face-to-face talks between the two sides since the insurgent group seized control of Afghanistan.

During the meeting, Wang, also the State Councillor, said that Afghanistan is facing quadruple challenges, namely the humanitarian crisis, economic chaos, terrorist threats and governance difficulties, adding that overcoming these challenges requires more understanding and support from the international community, Xinhua news agency reported. 

He also urged the US and the West as a whole to lift sanctions, and appealed to all parties to engage with the Taliban to help Afghanistan embark on a “path of healthy development”.

Asserting that China will continue to provide humanitarian aid to Afghanistan within its capacity, Wang said Beijing will also work with the global community to help the country realise economic reconstruction.

Last month, United Nations chief Antonio Guterres had said that the international community must engage with the Taliban to "avert a total collapse of Afghanistan's economy".

The UN chief had appealed to countries to provide aid to Afghans whose human rights could be violated under the Taliban rule.