China willing to develop 'friendly relations' with Taliban: Report

Kabul, Aug 16: China is willing to develop friendly relationship with the Taliban regime in Afghanistan.

"China respects the right of the Afghan people to independently determine their own destiny and is willing to continue to develop... friendly and cooperative relations with Afghanistan," AFP quoted foreign ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying as saying.

Further, China expressed hope that the Taliban will stand by its commitment of establishing an "open and inclusive" Islamic government in Afghanistan and will ensure a peaceful transition of power without violence and terrorism.

Hua Chunying in a media briefing expressed hope that the Taliban will abide by its commitment to ensure a peaceful transition of power, taking full responsibility for the safety of Afghan citizens and foreign diplomatic missions.

The statement comes day after the Taliban took over Afghanistan and President Ashraf Ghani fled the country, bringing a stunning end to a two-decade campaign in which the U.S. and its allies had tried to transform the country.

Taliban insurgents swept Kabul on Sunday after the US-backed Afghan government collapsed and President Ashraf Ghani fled the country, bringing an unprecedented end to a two-decade campaign in which the US and its allies had tried to transform the war-ravaged nation.

While most of the embassies in Kabul including that of the US, India and EU countries rushed to evacuate its diplomatic staff, Hua said the Chinese Embassy is up and running with its ambassador and some staff.

However, most of the Chinese nationals have already been evacuated from Afghanistan

with PTI inputs