An explosion outside a Chinese restaurant in Kabul on 19 January killed one Chinese national and wounded five others, Beijing announced on 20 January. The Chinese foreign ministry said it has made an emergency representation to Afghan authorities, urged full medical treatment for the injured and demanded effective measures to protect Chinese citizens, projects and institutions in Afghanistan.
China’s embassy in Kabul has visited the wounded at hospital and is pressing Kabul to investigate and punish the perpetrators. At a regular press briefing, foreign ministry spokesman Guo Jiakun strongly condemned terrorism in any form and said Beijing supports Afghan and regional efforts to counter violent extremist activity. Chinese officials also noted media reports that the Islamic State group had claimed responsibility, while stopping short of an immediate attribution by the ministry.
The incident underscores the persistent security risks in Afghanistan since the Taliban’s return to power. Islamic State Khorasan (IS-K) has continued to target public venues, minority communities and foreign-linked sites, and attacks in urban centres like Kabul have repeatedly shown the Taliban’s limited capacity — or willingness — to eliminate IS-K cells. For China, which has quietly expanded its economic and diplomatic footprint in Afghanistan, the episode is a reminder that its nationals and assets remain vulnerable despite new political contacts in Kabul.
Beijing has used familiar diplomatic tools: condemnation, emergency representations, embassy support for victims, and public travel advice. The foreign ministry reiterated its warning that Chinese citizens should not travel to Afghanistan and urged those already in the country or operating enterprises there to heighten vigilance and evacuate high-risk areas. The message is aimed both at protecting citizens and at signalling pressure to Afghan authorities to provide tangible security guarantees.
Beyond the immediate human toll, the blast has broader implications for China’s regional strategy. Beijing has strategic interests in Afghan natural resources and connectivity projects, and seeks stability along its western periphery to limit spillover of extremism and refugee flows. Recurrent attacks on foreign-linked venues complicate any expansion of Chinese personnel on the ground and may force Beijing to tighten security protocols, reduce in-country deployments or condition further engagement on demonstrable improvements in Afghan governance and counterterrorism performance.
For now, the incident is likely to produce more cautious Chinese behaviour in Afghanistan: stepped-up protection for existing personnel, fresh demands of the Afghan authorities, and more explicit evacuation and travel restrictions for civilians and private firms. How the Taliban responds — by cracking down on IS-K networks or failing to do so — will shape whether Beijing pursues deeper diplomatic pressure, greater security cooperation with regional partners, or a retrenchment from on-the-ground commitments.