Afghanistan Times
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After years of hard-line policies that were a hallmark of Donald Trump’s presidency, now a new path has opened in the relations between the United States, a strong partner to Afghanistan, and China, a reliable neighbor, who all the time supported a united and sovereign Afghanistan. For those who followed US-China relations in the past four years, it’s the most proper time under Joe Biden’s administration, to see change as both the countries are compelled to cooperate with each other during global pandemic time. Washington revealed plans of an interagency review of measures including trade tariffs and the delisting of certain Chinese companies that were enacted by Trump. Beijing also called on the world to abandon ideological prejudice and shun an outdated cold-war mentality. This is indeed great news for the whole world because confrontations will lead to a dead end. It’s time for understanding and cooperation based on mutual respect. We need to join hands to recover from the pandemic. We get no benefit in lingering on enmity or to start threatening or intimidation or come to the fore with sanctions. Isolations or rupture will lead to the quarrel only, and neither side will get any desirable results.
Beijing-Washington relations are also affecting Afghanistan since the country is enjoying great relations with both the countries. The U.S. entered Afghanistan 20 years ago to wipe out safe sanctuaries of the militants and returned Afghanistan back to its dignity as a united, sovereign state. We were totally isolated from the rest of the world, even the right to education was taken from us. However, U.S. and NATO anti-terror campaigns started two decades ago have failed to bring peace in the country, rather violence and intensive clashes around the country have been intensified with taking high toll on Afghans, both military and civilians. But soon after realizing the fact that there is no military solution to the Afghan war, the U.S. has come up to the fore with a peace initiative, bringing the Taliban to the table of talks, which is a great move. China also stepped forward and announced its strong support to a peaceful Afghanistan. Beijing always avoided violence, highly supported the Afghan-led and Afghan-owned peace process, and assured not to impose anything on Afghanistan. Basically, Afghanistan’s peace affairs will not be succeeded sans US-China’s strong cooperation. Indeed, China’s role is key in strengthening regional consensus for a durable peace in Afghanistan. It’s time for China-US to reverse policies that bring no good to anyone, instead engage in a positive and constructive approach to pull bilateral ties back to the right path, which definitely brings good to Afghanistan as well.
