China appoints first envoy to Afghanistan since Taliban takeover

For the first time since the Taliban reclaimed power in Afghanistan in 2021, China has formally designated an ambassador.

Bilal Karimi, the Taliban administration's deputy spokesman, acknowledged the development in a statement. He stated that on Wednesday, the new Chinese ambassador, Zhao Xing, presented his credentials to the Taliban's prime minister in Kabul.

"Mohammad Hassan Akhund, Prime Minister of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan," he stated, had accepted the credentials at a ceremony in Kabul.

He also revealed that Xing was Beijing's first ambassador to Kabul since the Taliban deposed the Ashraf Ghani-led government in August 2021.

Wang Yu, China's last ambassador to Afghanistan, was appointed in 2019 and served until last month.

China is yet to officially announce the appointment of the ambassador.