Former US Special Representative for Afghanistan Zalmay Khalilzad has warned that Washington risks creating a vacuum in Afghanistan that could be filled by China and Russia if the United States does not re-engage with the country.

Speaking to Al Jazeera, Khalilzad said maintaining stability in Afghanistan remains in the US interest, warning that a return to collapse and chaos could once again create conditions for terrorist groups to expand and pose threats to the United States.

“If we do not engage and try to advance our interests, then our rivals will fill the vacuum,” Khalilzad said.

He pointed to growing Chinese and Russian engagement with Afghanistan, saying China is seeking access to the country’s natural resources while Russia has also become increasingly active.

Khalilzad said US policy should take Afghanistan’s current circumstances and future direction into account, including what Washington wants the country to look like in the years ahead.

He identified preventing Afghanistan from again becoming a base for anti-US terrorist groups as one of Washington’s key interests.

“Economic progress is important to achieving this goal, and developing Afghanistan’s resources is also important,” he said.

Khalilzad also warned that continued restrictions on women’s and girls’ access to education and employment could have serious consequences.

Meanwhile, Islamic Emirate spokesman Zabiullah Mujahid said Kabul and Washington have held talks through various channels on several occasions.

However, Mujahid said the absence of changes in US policy towards Afghanistan has prevented the discussions from producing meaningful progress in relations between the two sides.

China’s Ambassador to Kabul, Zhao Sheng, has discussed bilateral relations with Afghanistan’s Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi during a farewell meeting in Kabul on Saturday.

According to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Muttaqi described relations between Afghanistan and China as historical and positive, praised Zhao’s tenure and wished him success in his future assignment.

Zhao, meanwhile, described ties between the two countries as friendly and thanked the Foreign Ministry for its cooperation during his tenure. He expressed hope that bilateral relations would further expand across various fields.

A representative of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan (IEA) said at a forum in China that a recent security operation in the northern province of Badakhshan demonstrated the capabilities of the country’s security forces to counter threats to stability.

The remarks were made at the 2026 Conference of the Global Public Security Cooperation Forum (Lianyungang) in China, where a delegation from Afghanistan’s Ministry of Interior participated. The delegation was led by Zainullah Abir, chief of staff of the minister’s office, and Abdul Rahim Saqib, a senior adviser to the ministry.

Addressing the conference, the Islamic Emirate representative cited the recent operation in Badakhshan as an example of the security forces’ ability to confront groups and individuals it described as disrupting security.

“With the assistance of Allah, our security forces have the capability to prevent any form of insecurity within the country, suppress those who disrupt security, and thwart the objectives and malicious intentions of groups seeking to destabilize Afghanistan,” he said.

He described the recent failure of what he called “security disruptors” in Badakhshan as a clear example of that capability.

The official also said Afghanistan’s security forces were committed to preventing the country’s territory from being used to carry out attacks or create insecurity against Afghans, neighboring countries or other states.

He called for greater regional cooperation on security issues, including intelligence sharing, border security, and joint efforts to combat narcotics and smuggling.

The Afghan representative also praised China’s role in supporting peace and stability in the region and said Kabul was prepared to expand security cooperation with Beijing and other regional countries.

He said Afghanistan sought peace, security and economic development based on mutual respect and shared interests.