China Strongly Condemns US Troop Withdrawal from Afghanistan: "Only Chaos and Destruction Remain"

[Image source=AP Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Suhwan] China strongly criticized the U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan, claiming that the 20-year war left only chaos and destruction behind.

The state-run Global Times reported on the 1st, introducing photos of Chris Donahue, commander of the U.S. Army, leaving Afghanistan as the last American soldier, and U.S. military equipment scattered at Kabul airport, describing these scenes as showing America's failure and embarrassment.

It continued, "Concerns are growing about how the Taliban will lead Afghanistan following the U.S. troop withdrawal, facing uncertainty," and questioned, "More importantly, what has the U.S. left in this country over the past 20 years?"

The newspaper cited experts who argued that the U.S. failed in so-called 'democratic reforms,' leaving only chaos and destruction.

Professor Zhu Yongbiao of the Central Asia Research Institute at Lanzhou University's School of Politics and International Relations sarcastically said, "The U.S. was indifferent to civilian casualties and Afghanistan's opium production," adding, "The fact that the war brought numerous problems is a negative legacy the U.S. has left to the world."

Chris Donahue, Commander of the U.S. Army, is boarding a U.S. military transport plane at Kabul International Airport in Afghanistan on the 30th of last month (local time). He is the last U.S. military personnel to leave Afghanistan. [Image source=EPA Yonhap News]

Zhu Weile, director of the Middle East Research Institute at Shanghai International Studies University, also stated, "The U.S. failure in managing the Afghan crisis reflects its failure in the security sector," and argued, "The international community has realized how unreliable and incompetent the U.S. is in handling problems."

He also emphasized the need for the international community to unite efforts to reduce Afghanistan's uncertainty.

Professor Wang Jin of the Middle East Studies Institute at Xibei University pointed out, "Afghanistan is currently facing an anarchic state," and noted, "More than 300,000 Taliban members can be civilians, but if they regain their weapons, they could turn into rioters or bandits."

Wang Wenbin, spokesperson for the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs, also emphasized at a regular briefing the previous day, "The U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan shows that military intervention or imposing its own policies on other countries inevitably fails," adding, "China respects Afghanistan's independence, adheres to the principle of non-interference in internal affairs, and will implement a friendly policy toward the Afghan people."

The state-run Global Times offered an analysis that the U.S., having withdrawn from Afghanistan, will focus its strategy on the Western Pacific.

In an editorial that day, Global Times criticized, "Some U.S. politicians harbor illusions of using resources from the Afghanistan withdrawal to block the rejuvenation of the Chinese nation," and said, "The U.S. is prepared to engage in geopolitical competition with China, but most of it is baseless bluster."

It added, "China should pay attention to the U.S.'s strategic shift but need not be alarmed," and argued, "The conspiracy to use hegemony to block China's rise will only lead to greater failure."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.