China calls for release of Afghanistan’s frozen assets

Gang Shuang, China’s Deputy Permanent Representative to the United Nations, has called for the “immediate and unconditional” release of Afghanistan’s assets.

According to a report from the Chinese newspaper on Monday, December 16, Gang emphasized the importance of strengthening engagement with the Taliban in Afghanistan. He stated, “China urges relevant countries to immediately and unconditionally release Afghanistan’s overseas assets and return them in full.”

Gang Shuang described the sanctions against Afghanistan’s frozen assets as “coercive, illegal, and unilateral” and called on Western countries, especially the United States, to halt them. According to this Chinese official, the people of Afghanistan are facing complex challenges such as food shortages, displacement, natural disasters, pollution, and unexploded ordnance.

He also welcomed the extension of the monitoring team on sanctions imposed on the Taliban administration.

Afghanistan’s central bank assets, valued at around $9 billion, were frozen in Western countries after the Taliban return to power on August 15, 2021.

However, following this action, the United States government under President Joe Biden and its allies established an escrow fund in Switzerland, transferring approximately $3.5 billion to this bank to assist with humanitarian efforts.

The Taliban’s lack of formal recognition and the absence of a responsive administration in Kabul have led to concerns over the transparency and accountability of financial aid. Without a stable government, resource allocation remains unclear and inefficient.

Human rights violations, especially the restriction of women’s rights, remain a major issue under Taliban rule. Women’s freedoms, including education and employment, are severely limited, undermining the country’s social and economic development and hindering future stability.

As a result, China’s move may be more political in nature than purely humanitarian, as it could be driven by strategic interests rather than solely by concerns for Afghanistan’s welfare.

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