Return Afghan reserves in full, China tells US

KABUL (Pajhwok): China has reminded the Biden administration of its obligation to return in full Afghanistan’s foreign reserves immediately.

The release of the assets would enable the Da Afghanistan Bank (DAB) to use the funds independently to overcome the current economic and humanitarian crises.

Anadolu News Agency quoted Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson, Mao Ning as saying: “The frozen assets are life-saving money of Afghan people, which should be returned immediately, disposed of by Afghanistan independently ….”

The spokeswoman asked the US to fully lift the asset freeze and unilateral sanctions against Afghanistan as soon as possible.

Earlier in the week, the US announced the transfer of $3.5 billion in Afghan foreign reserves to a new Swiss-based trust fund that would be shielded from the Taliban government.

PAN Monitor/mud