The acting Minister of Foreign Affairs, Amir Khan Muttaqi, met with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi and discussed economic and trade ties between the two countries.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs said in a statement that the Chinese minister expressed readiness to provide support to the Afghan traders as a substitute for the cultivation of poppy.

According to the statement, China will resume the visa-issuing process for the Afghans on August 1st.

"While the Chinese start practical investment in Afghanistan, it will provide job opportunities for our youth and will help the government boost its normal and development budget," said Ahmad Munib, an economist.

"For the Chinese, the only option that they can engage with and feel comfortable with, is the Taliban," said Mehdi Afzali, analyst.

Meanwhile, Reuters quoted a Chinese Foreign Ministry statement that China will allow 98 percent of Afghan imports to enter tax-free.

"All the material being sent to China is without tax, this move will help enhance trade between us and China," said Khanjan Alokozai, a member of the Afghanistan Chamber of Commerce and Investment.

This comes as the US Department of State said in a statement that a US delegation led by US special envoy for Afghanistan Thomas West and Under Secretary of the Treasury for Terrorism and Financial Intelligence, Brian Nelson, met the Islamic Emirate delegation and Afghan technocrats and discussed ongoing efforts to enable the $3.5 billion in licensed Afghan central bank reserves to be used for the benefit of the Afghan people.

"The United States underscored the need to accelerate the work on these efforts" the statement reads.