China encourages the Afghan Taliban to pursue a moderate religious policy and hopes that the new Afghan regime can make a clean break with all kinds of international terrorist forces, a Foreign Ministry spokesperson said on August 17.

China hopes the Taliban can work with all parties in setting up an open and inclusive political framework, and pursue a peaceful and friendly foreign policy, particularly developing friendly relations with neighboring countries, to achieve reconstruction and development in Afghanistan, spokesperson Hua Chunying told a daily news briefing in Beijing.

She said the new Afghan regime should constrain and crack down on terrorist groups including the East Turkestan Islamic Movement, in order to prevent Afghanistan from becoming a gathering place for terrorist and extremist forces again.