As US and NATO forces gradual withdraw troops from Afghanistan, China has turned it up a notch. On Oct. 31, Afghan president Ashraf Ghani went to Beijing for the China-hosted Istanbul Process, a plan to integrate Russia and Central Asia, in the process benefiting Afghanistan's economy, security and stability.
After the meeting, the US Department of State broke its usual stance and issued a statement welcoming China and other countries to participate in Afghanistan's reconstruction and development.
China has three strategic goals in Afghanistan: first, to utilize raw materials and resources; second, to promote joint business opportunities, including infrastructure projects such as railways, roads and telecom; and third, to prevent Afghanistan from becoming a base for Xinjiang separatists including the East Turkestan Islamic Movement (ETIM).
During the 13 years of US troop presence in the country, Chinese enterprises have utilized the relative security to foray into Afghanistan's raw material and energy sectors. Once the US withdraws its forces, Chinese enterprises will face a changing security environment and a question mark on the future of operations.
China's response to this changing environment is threefold: first, it is seeking support from Pakistan to jointly crack down on Xinjiang separatist forces in Afghanistan. Second, Beijing plans to establish a dialogue channel and negotiation mechanism with the Taliban, hoping to protect Chinese enterprises in the Taliban's sphere of influence and even working with the Taliban in its campaign against ETIM. Third, China will include Afghanistan in its current six-party Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) security framework, which would heighten security measures in the to jointly raise China's security interest in Afghanistan.
After 13 years of war and US presence, Afghanistan would likely be receptive to the entry of other major powers in providing economic opportunities to develop its economy.
China is simultaneously developing relations with Afghanistan's new government and the Taliban, in a bid to develop energy resources and conduct an anti-terror campaign. The Islamic State has threatened to launch attacks in Xinjiang and even occupy the autonomous region, which has Beijing on the offensive.
Beijing lacks experience in communicating with Afghanistan's tribes and is proceeding with caution so as not to repeat the mistakes of the Soviet Union and the US barging into the Middle Eastern country.
(Tseng Fu-sheng is a national security adviser to the National Policy Foundation. Translated by Want China Times.)
As the US exits Afghanistan, China makes its move｜Op-Ed Contributors｜Opinion｜WantChinaTimes.com
After the meeting, the US Department of State broke its usual stance and issued a statement welcoming China and other countries to participate in Afghanistan's reconstruction and development.
China has three strategic goals in Afghanistan: first, to utilize raw materials and resources; second, to promote joint business opportunities, including infrastructure projects such as railways, roads and telecom; and third, to prevent Afghanistan from becoming a base for Xinjiang separatists including the East Turkestan Islamic Movement (ETIM).
During the 13 years of US troop presence in the country, Chinese enterprises have utilized the relative security to foray into Afghanistan's raw material and energy sectors. Once the US withdraws its forces, Chinese enterprises will face a changing security environment and a question mark on the future of operations.
China's response to this changing environment is threefold: first, it is seeking support from Pakistan to jointly crack down on Xinjiang separatist forces in Afghanistan. Second, Beijing plans to establish a dialogue channel and negotiation mechanism with the Taliban, hoping to protect Chinese enterprises in the Taliban's sphere of influence and even working with the Taliban in its campaign against ETIM. Third, China will include Afghanistan in its current six-party Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) security framework, which would heighten security measures in the to jointly raise China's security interest in Afghanistan.
After 13 years of war and US presence, Afghanistan would likely be receptive to the entry of other major powers in providing economic opportunities to develop its economy.
China is simultaneously developing relations with Afghanistan's new government and the Taliban, in a bid to develop energy resources and conduct an anti-terror campaign. The Islamic State has threatened to launch attacks in Xinjiang and even occupy the autonomous region, which has Beijing on the offensive.
Beijing lacks experience in communicating with Afghanistan's tribes and is proceeding with caution so as not to repeat the mistakes of the Soviet Union and the US barging into the Middle Eastern country.
(Tseng Fu-sheng is a national security adviser to the National Policy Foundation. Translated by Want China Times.)
As the US exits Afghanistan, China makes its move｜Op-Ed Contributors｜Opinion｜WantChinaTimes.com
