- Trump administration should ‘go through the history of Afghanistan once more, from the era of British invasion down to the latest US invasion. The lesson is clear and they will learn a lot,’ Taliban official tells Anadolu

ISTANBUL
China said Friday that “stirring up tension and confrontation” in the region runs counter to people’s aspirations regarding US President Donald Trump’s plan to retake Afghanistan’s Bagram Air Base.

Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Lin Jian said Afghanistan’s future should be decided by the Afghan people.

"China respects Afghanistan’s independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity. Afghanistan’s future should rest in the hands of the Afghan people," said Lin. "Let me stress that stirring up tension and confrontation in the region will not be supported,” he said, adding that China hopes all parties will play a constructive role in regional peace and stability.

Trump said Thursday that his administration is trying to secure the return of the Bagram Air Base from the Taliban, though specifics on the hitherto secretive negotiations remained scarce.

Trump said part of his motivation for attempting to reacquire the facility is due to its proximity to a nearby site where China produces nuclear weapons, lamenting that US control over Bagram was not maintained during the American withdrawal under former President Joe Biden.

Taliban returned to power in August 2021, after the complete withdrawal of US-led foreign forces.

Although the interim administration in Kabul has yet to formally respond to claims by Trump, Suhail Shaheen, its designated ambassador to the UN, told Anadolu: “If they (US) want good relations … investment in Afghanistan, trade and normal diplomatic relations, they are welcome.”

“But if they have covetous ambitions whatsoever, then they need to go through the history of Afghanistan once more, from the era of British invasion down to the latest US invasion. The lesson is clear and they will learn a lot,” said Shaheen, who is based in the Qatari capital of Doha.

Zakir Jalaly, another Taliban official, said that Afghans have not accepted a military presence in history, and the return of Bagram Air Base was rejected during the Doha talks.

"Military presence has not been accepted by Afghans historically, and this possibility was completely rejected during the Doha talks and agreement," he wrote on the US social media company, X.

Jalaly added that Washington needs to interact with Afghanistan and both countries have economic and political relations based on mutual respect and shared interests, regardless of whether the US has a military presence in any part of Afghanistan.​​​​​​​