China wants friendly relations with Taliban

After the complete takeover of Afghanistan by Taliban,China and Pakistan gave their first reactions. The Chinese government on Monday said that it is ready to develop "friendly relations" with the Taliban. China foreign ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying said that Beijing respects the right of the Afghan people to independently determine their own destiny and is willing to continue to develop... friendly and cooperative relations with Afghanistan.

Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan said Afghans had “broken the shackles of slavery” while describing the Taliban’s seizure of power in the neighbouring country. Khan further spoke about how cultural imposition was tantamount to ‘mental slavery.’ Addressing the launch of a government education programme, Khan further criticised the existence of “English medium schools” that he said led to the adoption of “someone else’s culture” in Pakistan. “When you adopt someone’s culture you believe it to be superior and you end up becoming a slave to it. 

Russian spoke about the deteriorating situation in Afghanistan and said it will not rush with the question of recognising or not recognising the Taliban. Zamir Kabulov, President Vladimir Putin's special representative on Afghanistan, said, the Russian government will first observe the action of the new authorities closely and only then it will make the decision, the state media reported. The airspace above Afghanistan was closed, with the country's aviation authority issuing two NOTAMs or notices to airmen. Meanwhile, thousands of Afghans were seen gathering at Hamid Karzai International Airport in Kabul, the only exit points out of the country not in control of the Taliban yet, in a last-ditch effort to leave the war-torn nation, even as the administration shut the civilian airspace over Afghanistan.

Video: People run on tarmac of Kabul international airport as a US military aircraft attempts to take off. pic.twitter.com/9qA36HS0WQ

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A Taliban spokesperson told the Associated Press that the they were holding talks aimed at forming an “open, inclusive Islamic government” in Afghanistan after they declared that the “war was over” and called for “peaceful relations” with the international community.