China concerned at ETIM and ISIS joining hands against them and Taliban, claim analysts

Beijing/Washington: – Within hours of the complete US withdrawal from Afghanistan, China has demanded that the Taliban disassociate itself from other terrorist groups. At the same time, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Wang Wenbin reminded that the Taliban had assured that the East Turkestan Islamic Movement (ETIM), which poses a threat to China’s security, would not be allowed in Afghanistan. Wenbin said China was ready to provide financial assistance to Afghanistan in return.

The East Turkestan Islamic Movement (ETIM) is a terrorist organisation of the Uyghurs in the Chinese province of Xinjiang. The ETIM had announced the establishment of East Turkey by separating Xinjiang from China. The United Nations had earlier said there were 500 terrorists in the group. ETIM has influence in Kunduz, Takhar and Badakhshan provinces of Afghanistan. China has demanded that the Taliban deal with the ETIM, which is a threat to Chinese security.

But ETIM leaders are collaborating with Al-Qaeda terrorists. The Taliban had already clarified earlier that it would not take action against ETIM. But now, China has stepped up its efforts to secure international political and economic support for the Taliban. ETIM is grappled with the fears that the Taliban may attack them or extradite its members to China. Military analysts claim that this could lead to a new conflict in Afghanistan and Pakistan.

On the other hand, there is another possibility that the United States will support ETIM through the Taliban. China is worried that this could be a plot of the United States to counter China. Some analysts in Pakistan also suspect that the United States and the Taliban may have joined hands against China. Earlier, intelligence agencies in Afghanistan and Turkey claimed that IS-Khorasan and ETIM were collaborating. Four years ago, ETIM terrorists had joined IS in the Syrian conflict. At the time, China had expressed concerns. In such a scenario, China is keeping a close eye on the Taliban’s stand regarding ETIM. A few days ago, a Taliban spokesman, speaking on China’s concerns about ETIM, suggested that China needs to reconsider its policy.