Addressing a regional summit in Baku, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi has called on Taliban authorities to take concrete steps to eliminate terrorist groups in Afghanistan, saying stability in the country is closely linked to security across Asia.
Wang made the remarks Thursday, Oct. 15, during the seventh summit of the Conference on Interaction and Confidence-Building Measures in Asia, or CICA, in Baku, Azerbaijan, where he represented Chinese President Xi Jinping.
Wang described Afghanistan as an important part of Asia’s security architecture and said Taliban authorities should take concrete action against terrorist groups and work toward lasting peace and stability, according to accounts of his remarks.
He also called for greater coordination among regional countries on Afghanistan and urged continued efforts to support the country’s development and provide humanitarian assistance to Afghans.
Beijing has repeatedly raised counterterrorism concerns in its contacts with Taliban authorities. China has previously pressed them to take effective measures against terrorist organizations, particularly the East Turkestan Islamic Movement, or ETIM, which Beijing views as a threat to China’s security.
Taliban authorities have repeatedly said Afghanistan’s territory will not be used to threaten other countries and have maintained that they are fighting Islamic State-Khorasan, or ISIS-K, and other armed groups.
Wang’s remarks came as regional governments continue to focus on the security implications of developments in Afghanistan, including terrorism, cross-border militancy and narcotics trafficking.
At the broader CICA summit, Wang called for stronger multilateral cooperation among Asian countries and said the regional grouping should strengthen dialogue and confidence-building measures. Participants discussed security and development across the CICA region before adopting the Baku Declaration.
Wang also met Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov on the sidelines of the gathering. The two discussed bilateral and international issues as Beijing and Moscow continue to coordinate closely on regional affairs.
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