Netizen Voices: Hu Xijin’s Taliban Friendship Comments Criticized Posted by Joseph Brouwer | Jul 12, 2021 A Taliban spokesperson’s claim that China is a “friend” incited an online furore after nationalist Chinese media figures shared the statement approvingly. “We have been to China many times and we have good relations with them,” the Taliban spokesperson said, adding that “China is a friendly country that we welcome for reconstruction and developing Afghanistan.” Guancha, a nationalist website financed by the venture capitalist Eric X. Li, published a report on the spokesperson’s statements. Hu Xijin, the editor-in-chief of Global Times, shared Guancha’s article on Weibo as an example of China’s diplomatic prowess: “China’s line has made us Kabul’s friend, while the Taliban also take us for friends. The most important thing is we will forever be Afghanistan’s friends.”