Ajit Karn
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The Taliban government of Afghanistan has given a contract to a Chinese firm for oil mining in the northern part of the country.
This deal has been done for a period of 25 years. China has described it as an ‘important project’ for both the countries. It is believed that after getting this contract, China’s economic activities can increase in this area.
This is the first major oil mining agreement with a foreign firm since the Taliban took over Afghanistan in the year 2021. Till now no government of the world has given recognition to the Taliban government of Afghanistan.
Taliban officials said on Thursday that security forces have targeted Islamic State group extremists who attacked a hotel used by Chinese businessmen.
Last December, there was an attack on the Longan Hotel in Kabul in which at least three people were killed and 18 were injured. Five Chinese citizens were among the injured.
Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid said, “The Xinjiang Central Asia Petroleum and Gas Company (CAPEIC) will drill in the Amu Darya basin as part of the oil mining deal.”
Important project for China-Afghanistan
Afghanistan has a large store of natural resources. This wealth of Afghanistan could not be used due to years of conflict.
Many experts say that after this agreement, a ‘new chapter of relations’ can begin between the two countries. China has also called it an important agreement.
“The Amu Darya oil mining deal is an important project for China and Afghanistan,” Wang Yu, China’s ambassador to Afghanistan, told a press conference in Kabul.
A Chinese government company is also in talks with the Taliban government regarding the operation of a copper mine in the eastern part of the country.
Afghanistan has vast natural resources including natural gas, copper and rare earth materials which are estimated to be worth one trillion dollars.
Due to the decades-long war in Afghanistan, these natural resource sources could not be used.
Although, like other countries of the world, China has not yet recognized the Taliban government of Afghanistan, but it has very important interests in this country.
The reason for this is also that Afghanistan is at the center of China’s ambitious project Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) region.
In the year 2013, Xi Jinping launched BRI. This project works to provide financial assistance to build infrastructure like ports, roads, bridges in emerging countries.
changing equation
The interests of other neighboring countries including India have also been linked with Afghanistan. During the previous government of Afghanistan, India had made many constructions there including the Parliament House.
In December, the Taliban had said that it wanted India to invest in Afghanistan and start new urban infrastructure projects.
After the Taliban took over Afghanistan, India closed its embassy in Kabul and called back all the officials.
At the same time, China is the third country after Pakistan and Russia which opened its embassy in Kabul after the Taliban took over.
Taliban relations with China
However, when the Taliban took over Afghanistan, China made statements with great caution.
On 30 August 2021, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yu said, “China is ready to develop friendly and cooperative relations with the Taliban. China is willing to play a constructive role for peace and reconstruction in Afghanistan.”
Wang said, “All countries, especially the US, should contact the Taliban and actively show them the way.”
In March last year, the then Foreign Minister of China reached Kabul for the first time after the Taliban came to power.
A few days after the Taliban took over Afghanistan, China publicly stated that it “wants to develop friendly relations” with the Taliban.
A Taliban delegation went to China in July 2021 before the Taliban took over Afghanistan.
Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar was leading this delegation. This delegation met the then Foreign Minister of China in Tianjin, North China.
After this, the Chinese Foreign Ministry issued a statement, “The Afghan Taliban faction is an important military and political force in Afghanistan, which is expected to play an important role in the country’s peace, reconciliation and reconstruction.”
China’s economic interests in Afghanistan
China has many ambitions like the Road and Belt project and for that it will require large scale infrastructure and communication in Central Asia.
If China does not get enough cooperation in Afghanistan, then it can affect its plans to increase its influence in the region.
Similarly, the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor is also a major infrastructure project in Asia, but Chinese officials continue to be attacked in Pakistan. In such a situation, China wants to ensure its security in the region by joining hands with the Taliban.
China has made investments like Enak Copper Mine and Amu Darya Energy in Afghanistan.
Saathi is the storehouse of precious metals like gold, copper, zinc and iron in Afghanistan. Therefore, by creating an unfavorable environment for itself, China would not want to reduce the possibilities of investment in future.
It is noteworthy that India was invited by the Taliban government last month to restart the stalled projects.
The Taliban had said that India would restart at least 20 stalled projects in several provinces of Afghanistan.
Two days after the violent regime change in Afghanistan, India closed its embassy in Kabul and called all the officials back to India.
Although humanitarian aid was sent to Afghanistan in June last year.
