Beijing confirms 'effective' talks

The Chinese Foreign Ministry on Wednesday confirmed a meeting between Chinese Ambassador to Afghanistan Wang Yu and a senior Afghan Taliban leader the previous day, saying the two sides had an unimpeded and effective communication and consultation.

Kabul is an important platform and channel for China and the Afghan Taliban to discuss important matters of all kinds, ministry spokesman Wang Wenbin told a daily news conference.

On Tuesday, an Afghan Taliban delegation, led by Abdul Salam Hanafi, deputy head of the Taliban's political office, met with Chinese diplomats in Kabul, Muhammad Naeem, a spokesman for the Taliban's political office, said on social media.

The two sides discussed issues from the security of the Chinese embassy and its diplomats to the current situation in Afghanistan and humanitarian aid, he said.

The Taliban spokesman tweeted the information in Pashto, Arabic and Persian.

Wang noted that China always respects the national sovereignty, independence and territorial integrity of Afghanistan and never interferes in its internal affairs.

China adopts a friendly policy toward the Afghan people, and respects their independent decision on their own future, Wang said, adding that it supports the implementation of the principle of "Afghan owned and Afghan led".

China will continue to develop good-neighborliness and friendly cooperation with Afghanistan, and play a constructive role in the country's peace and reconstruction, he said.