China is happy to see America humbled in Afghanistan
It does not love the Taliban, but is ready to do business with them
ON THE AFTERNOON of August 17th, as scenes of horror unfolded around Kabul, China’s envoy to Afghanistan recorded the tranquil mood at his own embassy. The ambassador’s smartphone images, proudly shared on social media by Hu Xijin, the editor of a Communist Party tabloid, show the Chinese flag snapping crisply against a summer sky, and front doors guarded by nothing more menacing than a tall porcelain vase.
This article appeared in the China section of the print edition under the headline “Preparing to work with the Taliban”
From the August 21st 2021 edition
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