Neighbourhood watch: China poised to emerge as ‘honest broker’ in Afghan peace process

Analysts deem Afghan Taliban’s visit to China particularly significant.

ISLAMABAD: The Afghan Taliban confirmed that its representatives had visited China to expand relations and throw light on its policies. Officials from the group have also announced plans to visit other neighbouring countries and strengthen contacts with the international community.

Although they have denied seeking Beijing’s assistance in mediating peace talks with President Ashraf Ghani’s government, the visit earlier this week has put a spotlight on the Afghan Taliban’s political motives. Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid has insisted the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan — the name of state under the Taliban rule ­— has always wanted to build stronger ties with its neighbours. More significantly, Taliban leaders have also voiced their intention to engage in talks with any country which is willing to resolve the deadlock with the Kabul administration.

Helping hand

However, Masum Stanekzai, a senior official of the government-sponsored Afghan High Peace Council, said China has embarked on fresh efforts to assist the peace process.

Since China has never been militarily involved in Afghanistan, it could play a more proactive role in encouraging the Taliban to mediate the peace process, provided its efforts are not hindered by major stakeholders.

Earlier, in October, Chinese Premier Li Keqiang proposed a five-point plan to resolve the Afghan peace process. This strategy includes promoting an inclusive process of political reconciliation.

Speaking at the Ministerial Conference of Istanbul Process on Afghanistan in Beijing, the Chinese premier urged all political parties in Afghanistan to set aside past grievances and join the political reconciliation process to discuss suitable means of achieving peace and development in their country.

President Ashraf Ghani and Adviser to Pakistan’s Prime Minister on Foreign Affairs Sartaj Aziz threw their weight behind this strategy for peace and economic development in Afghanistan.

New initiative

The Afghan Taliban visited China around the same time Keqiang made these suggestions for peace and stability in Afghanistan.

The Afghan Taliban’s visit does not come entirely out of the blue. It is widely believed that China is seeking a series of assurances from the Taliban. Firstly, it is interested in ensuring the preservation of its economic projects and the safety of Chinese workers in the country. Secondly, China wants to persuade the Taliban to not host Uighur fighters in its territory.

In light of these considerations, Pakistani and Afghan analysts have deemed the Afghan Taliban’s visit to China as particularly significant.

Mushahid Hussain Sayed, a senator and chairman of Pakistan-China Institute, has billed the visit as welcome proof of China’s pivotal role in the peace process as Afghanistan’s neighbour.

Speaking to The Express Tribune on Friday, Mushahid said the visit is likely to open the portals for the country to play the role of an “honest broker” in Afghanistan.

“Unlike its other neighbours, China has no historical baggage against Afghanistan,” he said. “The visit was an opportunity for China to seek assurances from the Afghan Taliban that they will not export radical Islam to Xinjiang or destabilise China’s strategic northwest.”

Mushahid, who is also the Chairman of the Senate Standing Committee on Defence, says the Taliban visit demonstrates China’s proactive diplomatic policies in Afghanistan. “Its policies seek to prevent a vacuum in the wake of the withdrawal of US troops from Afghanistan and promote peace in the country,” he added.

Afghan analyst Nazar Mutmaeen, who regularly writes on the Taliban and political affairs, strongly believes Taliban representatives have assured China of its commitment to not host Uighur fighters or harm their economic interests and workers in the country.

“I think they have also sought Chinese cooperation against international restrictions on the Taliban in return for backing their political efforts,” Mutmaeen told The Express Tribune.

Questions and answers

The Afghan media is divided over the outcome of the Taliban visit to China. A large number of journalists have asked the Afghan government to share details of the visit.

“Behind-the-scenes deals cannot solve any problems. The people of Afghanistan expect the foreign ministry, Afghanistan’s embassy in China and the presidential spokesman to provide them with information about the Taliban’s visit to China,” read an editorial in Hasht-e-Subah daily, a Dari-language newspaper based in Afghanistan.

It is also widely believed that Afghanistan and China’s neighbours, particularly Russia and Iran, are also concerned about the prolonged presence of US troops in Afghanistan. In order to safeguard their interests, China, Russia and Iran are keen to establish and maintain relations with Taliban officials.

Afghan Islamic Press, which is considered to be partial to the Afghan Taliban and other jihadist groups, has recently reported that Taliban representatives have also visited Russia. However, this has not been confirmed by the Taliban.

Published in The Express Tribune, January 31^st, 2015.