Why is China so ‘interested’ in Afghanistan?

June 3, 2024 3:20 am

After coming to power in Afghanistan, the Taliban has started to return to its old hardline form. They also ordered the departure of women from foreign NGOs after educational institutions. Due to these reasons, almost all the countries of the world are avoiding Afghanistan. And in this opportunity, China stands by the Taliban who are alone. But what is the root of Beijing’s interest in Afghanistan, say some experts. This information was given in a report of Tolo News on Friday (May 31).

Afghanistan’s Taliban interim government has said it will strengthen economic ties with China under Beijing’s Belt and Road (BRI) initiative. The move comes as Afghanistan’s economy continues to collapse since the Islamist group retook power three years ago.

According to Afghanistan’s ruling Taliban government spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid, relations between Kabul and Beijing are expanding day by day.

Professor Sultan Barakat of Qatar University said that China is playing an important role in the progress of Afghanistan. For this reason, China is heard more in Afghanistan than others. But China is a reliable neighbor of Afghanistan?

According to political analysts, China is not interested in the people of Afghanistan but in the mines of Afghanistan. Kabul should use this to its advantage. Afghanistan should remember that China also needs Afghanistan in the race to become a superpower. Because China’s ambitious Belt and Road Initiative requires a stable Afghanistan.

Incidentally, many high-level Chinese government delegations have visited Kabul in the last 10 years. A look at past history shows that after a delegation of Politburo members of the ruling Communist Party of China visited Afghanistan in 1966, Politburo member and Security Department chief Zhao Yongkang visited Kabul in September 2012. After that several such visits have been held in the last 10 years. In February 2012, the first Trilateral Security Conference was held in Beijing with the participation of Pakistan, Afghanistan and China. Since then, China has been in contact with Afghanistan. Many high-level delegations from Afghanistan have also visited Beijing in the past 10 years. Because China considered that it could be an important commercial and security partner in a post-US Afghanistan.