China denies report of Taliban's plan to hand over Bagram airbase to it

China on Tuesday termed as pure fake news a report that the Taliban plans to hand over Afghanistan's key Bagram airbase vacated by the US troops to it.

I can tell you this is pure fake news, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Wang Wenbin told a media briefing here when asked about a report that Taliban plans to hand over Bagram air force base to China and the Kandahar airport to Pakistan.

In July, the US military left Bagram Airfield - its key base in Afghanistan - after nearly 20 years. At its height, Bagram base was home to tens of thousands of US troops.

The airbase played a key role in US military conducting its land and air operations against rebels in its war on terrorism in Afghanistan, which formally ended last month with the complete withdrawal of American and NATO troops and Taliban seizing power in the war-torn country.

America's former envoy to the United Nations Nikki Haley has also said recently that China was trying to take over Bagram Air Force facility.

We need to watch China because I think you are going to see China make a move for Bagram Air Force Base," Haley said in a recent television interview.

"I think they are also making a move in Afghanistan and trying to use Pakistan to get stronger to go against India. So, we have got a lot of issues. The biggest thing he (President Joe Biden) should do is strengthen our allies, strengthen those relationships, modernise our military, and make sure we are prepared for the cyber-crimes and the terrorist crimes that are headed our way," the Indian-American Republican leader said.