China to host meeting of Foreign Ministers in Afghanistan, flunks India

China will host the 3rd meeting of the foreign ministers of Afghanistan’s neighbouring countries on March 30-31, the Chinese foreign ministry announced on Monday as Beijing and “all-weather ally” Pakistan firm up their influence in the Taliban-ruled country.   

Chinese State councillor and foreign minister Wang Yi will also host a dialogue between the foreign ministers and the acting foreign minister of Afghanistan’s interim government, Amir Khan Muttaqi, on the sidelines of the main meeting, ministry spokesperson Wang Wenbin said.  

When asked Wang Wenbin didn’t directly answer whether India had been invited to the meeting but Beijing seems to have blanked out New Delhi from it. “I already announced the information and have nothing else to add,” he said at Monday’s ministry briefing when asked whether India was invited.  

Foreign ministers or representatives from Pakistan, Iran, Russia, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan will attend the meeting to be held in Tunxi in Anhui province in eastern China, the Hindustan Times reported.  
Pakistan, along with China and Russia kept their embassies opened in Kabul as the Taliban besieged and then seized the capital. Non of them have formally recognized the Taliban interim government but Beijing and Islamabad seem to follow a coordinated policy in gradually legitimizing the Afghan militant group’s efforts to secure international recognition.  
Afghanistan March 28 Hindustan Times