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China’s oil deal with Taliban signals its move into Afghanistan, the ‘Graveyard of Empires’

Afghanistan is known as the “Graveyard of Empires” for a reason. Britain, Russia and recently, the US, have all come to rue their involvement there. Now, China’s interest in the central Asian country is becoming clear. Although it’s not pursuing conquest or regime change, but oil.

Afghanistan has signed a contract with a Chinese firm to drill for oil in the north of the country’s – its first major energy deal with a foreign firm since the Taliban took control of Afghanistan in 2021.

The 25-year deal, which will see Xinjiang Central Asia Petroleum and Gas Company (Capeic) drilling for oil in the Amu Darya basin, suggests China’s economic interest in the country is serious.

Afghanistan’s untapped mineral and energy resources are thought to be worth more than $1trn. But decades of conflict mean foreign investors; desire to exploit these riches have come to nothing. Beijing has its eyes set on them – and it knows that the destitute Taliban regime needs the money.

Levels of violence have subsided since the Islamic militants took over the country 16 months ago after the collapse of the internationally-backed government in Kabul.

The global community refuses to recognise the Taliban government due to concerns over human rights, and in particular the oppression of women.

China may not have formally recognised the regime but as ever with Beijing, civil rights are inconsequential when there are profits to be made.

“[China] respects the independence choice made by the Afghan people and respects the religious beliefs and national customs of Afghanistan,” China’s ambassador to Kabul, Wang Yu said on Thursday as the deal was signed in the Afghan Capital. “China never interfered in Afghanistan’s internal affairs, never seeks self-interest for the so-called spheres of influence in Afghanistan.”

History Professor Steve Tsang, director of the SOAS China Institute in London, noted that China has quietly been positioning itself for a lead role in exploiting Afghan minerals and oil for some time

“The reality is that even when the Americans were heavily involved in Afghanistan, the Chinese were the largest foreign investors in this country. With the Americans out, and increasing US-China tensions, it is hardly surprising that China would explore further opportunities in Afghanistan. Being isolated from the West, the Taliban would also have a reason to work with the Chinese,” he said.

But the ties between the two countries are tricky. Beijing fears that Uyghur Islamic militants such as the Turkestan Islamic Party (TIP) could use camps in Afghanistan as a base to launch attacks against China. And China’s repression of its Uyghur Muslim minority means that some in the Taliban remain hostile to Beijing.

The signs are that China hopes caution and mutual financial benefits will prevail.

But in an indication of the security risks that remain in Afghanistan, news of the oil exploration deal came only a day after the Taliban said its forces had killed eight Isis members in raids, including some who were behind an attack last month on a hotel in Kabul used by Chinese businessmen.

Professor Tsang says, that China may still get its fingers burned.

“Just as the Americans did not learn the lessons of the Russians and the British before them, the chance is that the Chinese will not learn from the American mistakes either,” he said.

Both sides have managed to sidetrack the Uyghur issue, and as long as they can do so, they should have enough common ground to work together. But the Chinese approach to the Muslim population of Xinjiang will remain a time-bomb between the two countries… particularly if the Taliban manages to ease tensions with the West and no longer feels the need to have a good working relationship with China.”

While China, Pakistan, Russia, Iran, Turkey and several other regional countries kept their embassies in Kabul open after the Taliban takeover, Washington and Western nations at large swiftly moved their Afghan diplomatic missions to Doha, Qatar.

Source: Inews.co.uk

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