BEIJING – China on Tuesday hit out at the United States over its quickwithdrawal from Afghanistan, “leaving an awful mess of unrest, division andbroken families” in the war-torn country.
“America’s strength and role is destruction, not construction,” Chineseforeign ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying said at a press briefing.
This comes after China on Monday expressed hope that the Taliban will keepits commitment of establishing an “open and inclusive” Islamic governmentin Afghanistan.
“The situation in Afghanistan has experienced major changes. We respectAfghanistan’s people’s will and choice,” Hua said.
“We noticed the statement from Afghan Taliban (Sunday) saying that the waris over and they will start consultation on establishment of an open andinclusive Islamic government and take the responsibility of safety ofAfghan citizens and foreign diplomatic corps,” the spokesperson added.
“We hope this will be implemented to ensure a peaceful transition, stopviolence and terrorism, and make sure people are free from war and buildtheir new home,” Hua further added.
Responding to a question about when will Beijing recognise the Talibangovernment, the spokesperson said that on the basis of fully respectingAfghanistan’s national sovereignty and the will of all parties, Beijing hasbeen maintaining contact with Afghan Taliban and playing a constructiverole to ensure political settlement in the country for durable peace.
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A day earlier, US President in a statement said that the US went toAfghanistan almost 20 years ago with clear goals: “get those who attackedus on September 11th, 2001, and make sure al Qaeda could not useAfghanistan as a base from which to attack us again”.
“We did that. We severely degraded al Qaeda in Afghanistan. We never gaveup the hunt for Osama bin Laden, and we got him. That was a decade ago.”
He clearly stated, “Our mission in Afghanistan was never supposed to havebeen nation building. It was never supposed to be creating a unified,centralized democracy”.
“Our only vital national interest in Afghanistan remains today what it hasalways been: preventing a terrorist attack on American homeland,” Bidenadded.
