China’s talks with Taliban could be a positive thing, US says

Delegation from militants meets Chinese foreign minister as Beijing seeks to extend influence in Afghanistan

The US secretary of state Antony Blinken has said that Beijing's interest in Afghanistan could be a positive thing", after China gave a warm and very public welcome to a senior Taliban delegation.

Nine officials from the militant group, which is eager for political recognition to bolster the impact of its military victories across much of Afghanistan, met China's foreign minister, Wang Yi, in the coastal city of Tianjin on Wednesday.