The Afghan Taliban, on the one hand, emphasised its willingness to "grow sound relations with China" while also promising not to pose any threat to its powerful neighbour. So far, Japan and South Korea have not made any response to the cordial gestures made between China and the Afghan Taliban. Over the previous two decades, both Japan and South Korea had made significant contributions to Afghanistan's development. Legitimising the Afghan Taliban's return to power is more egregious than submitting to authoritarians in Southeast Asia. No matter how strongly they deny it, the Afghan Taliban is a terrorist organisation.

Source: Bangkok Post August 25, 2021 23:48 UTC