Third high-level meeting of Afghan officials, together with the foreign ministers of neighboring countries, reflected China’s strategic commitment to the greater Middle East region and charted a course that can lead to the end of chaos.

What is the role of the SCO in stabilization and reconstruction? The capacity of its members may be limited, but the U.S. withdrawal presents an opportunity to build credibility. Failure to act may invite skepticism in the international community about the group’s ability to participate in international affairs.

A Taliban-run Afghanistan poses some benefit to Beijing, particularly if they can maintain stability and steer clear of hostile agreements. And for better or worse, China has the opportunity to fill in gaps left by the fall of the U.S.-supported regime.

The transatlantic honeymoon is over. Europe is being forced, in its own best interests, to pursue greater strategic autonomy, since it is finding the United States to be a shaky and unreliable ally. Feeling exposed, Europe will look more toward providing for its own security.

Parallels between the U.S. withdrawal in Afghanistan and its previous defeat in Vietnam have been top of mind for many, nowhere more so than in Southeast Asia itself, where American intervention and the ensuing fallout is still being reckoned with today.

America’s wounds are wholly self-inflicted, and it has only itself to blame. Many betrayals have been committed over the last two decades, including some against its own allies, undermining their trust.

While Beijing has used Washington’s troop withdrawal out of Afghanistan to their advantage, the aftermath might put the U.S. in a better standing on the geopolitical stage.

The term is used to criticize the United States for its haphazard exit from Afghanistan, but in truth it reflects the plight of U.S. allies — specifically, their inability to exercise their own strategic autonomy. America’s failure may present an opportunity for U.S. allies to cut the apron strings and start acting independently.

The future of the anti-terror campaign in Afghanistan rests both on the Taliban’s own endeavors and the support of the international community. If the lessons of the 20-year campaign against terror can be learned, there is reason to hope.

There is lots of room for China-U.S. cooperation, but it won’t happen automatically. A concerted effort by both is needed. The Americans should recognize that China is a trustworthy partner, not a rival, when it comes to Afghan affairs. China, too, will need to change its thinking.