Trump has also repeatedly said that China has since established a presence at the base, which is north of the capital, Kabul. The Taliban have denied the claim.
But a BBC investigation – which examined 30 satellite images from late 2020 to 2025 – found very little activity at the base since the Taliban returned, and no evidence to support China’s presence at the base.
On Friday, a Chinese foreign ministry spokesman said “China respects Afghanistan’s territorial integrity and sovereignty”, adding that “the future of Afghanistan should be in the hands of Afghan people”.
The Taliban’s Zakir Jalal, meanwhile, wrote on social media platform X: “Throughout history, Afghans have not accepted a military presence, and this possibility was completely rejected during the Doha talks and agreement, but the doors are open to other engagement.”
The US and the Taliban have been involved in talks recently, although a meeting on Saturday with the Taliban’s foreign minister focused on Americans held in Afghanistan, news agency Reuters reported.