KABUL, AFGHANISTAN – China has strongly reacted to U.S. President Donald Trump’s plan to regain control of Afghanistan’s Bagram Air Base, warning that escalating tensions in the region go against the wishes of the Afghan people.
At a press conference on Friday, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lin Jian said China “respects Afghanistan’s independence, sovereignty, and territorial integrity” and that “Afghanistan’s future should rest in the hands of the Afghan people.”
He stressed that “stirring up tension and confrontation in the region will not be supported,” urging all parties to take a constructive role in promoting regional peace and stability.
Trump, during a joint press conference with British Prime Minister Keir Starmer in London on Thursday, announced the United States is “trying to get back” Bagram Air Base, citing its proximity to Chinese nuclear facilities as a key reason. Trump also criticized the 2021 U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan under President Joe Biden, describing it as “chaotic” and insisting that the country should not have given up control of the base.
Speaking at the White House on Friday, Trump reiterated that his administration is in talks with the Taliban regarding the base. “We’ll see what happens with Bagram. We are negotiating with Afghanistan. We should never have given it up,” he told reporters.
Bagram, located near Kabul, was the main hub for U.S. and NATO forces for two decades and has two large runways capable of handling heavy military aircraft. According to CNN, Trump and senior U.S. officials view the base as strategically important for monitoring China, accessing rare earth minerals, targeting ISIS, and potentially reopening a diplomatic mission.
The Taliban has not formally responded to Trump’s remarks. However, Zakir Jalaly, a senior Taliban Foreign Ministry official, opposed any return of foreign military forces in Afghanistan. In a post on X, he stated that “Afghans have not accepted a military presence in history” and noted that foreign military deployment was “completely rejected during the Doha talks and agreement.” He added that Kabul and Washington could engage politically and economically based on mutual respect.
Analysts say Bagram offers the U.S. a strategic foothold in Central and South Asia, enabling intelligence gathering and power projection. However, they note that the Taliban is unlikely to allow U.S. troops to return unless there is a dramatic policy shift.
