China is the first country to officially recognize the Afghan government led by the Taliban. Beijing's approach, which is to exchange ambassadors without formal recognition, allows it to maintain its relations while not fracturing the rest of the world.
China is the only country that sent its ambassador, Zhao Xing, to be its 16th ambassador to Kabul. The Afghan Resistance Front, which opposes Taliban rule, said that “the Chinese decision is very disturbing” and that it is “a violation of international and diplomatic norms”