The Taliban has agreed to a 25-year deal with a Chinese business to explore oil in the Amu Darya basin of Afghanistan, marking its first major energy extractions deal since seizing control of Afghanistan in 2021.
The arrangement between the Taliban and China’s Xinjiang Central Asia Petroleum and Gas Company is for 25 years, and another Chinese state-owned company is apparently in discussions with the Taliban to operate a copper mine in eastern Afghanistan.
Taliban Operation On ISIS-K Assailants
A month ago, ISIS-K attacked a hotel in Kabul frequented by Chinese businesses. The arrangement comes at a time when Chinese nationals face increased security worries as the country increases its links to the Taliban, including an ISIS-K attack on a hotel in Kabul frequented by Chinese executives.
The incident resulted in at least three deaths and 18 injuries, including five Chinese nationals, despite Taliban promises that the safety of Chinese citizens and other foreigners was assured.
Some experts fear that such attacks on Chinese nationals are likely to continue, citing the fact that the ISIS affiliate in Afghanistan has criticized China’s treatment of Uyghur Muslims.
The Taliban boasted last week that its forces had conducted an operation against the ISIS-K faction responsible for the hotel attack, claiming that eight Islamic State terrorists were killed in the raid.
The Taliban have continued to view China, which has not yet formally recognized the Taliban rule in Afghanistan, as a commercial partner with whom they may access China’s immense quantities of natural resources.
Afghanistan’s undeveloped natural gas, copper, and rare earth mineral reserves are believed to be worth more than $1 trillion, despite decades of conflict and unrest in the nation. Last year, China analyst Gordon Chang told Fox News Digital that the alliance between the two sides will certainly continue to expand.
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70th Anniversary Of World War II
Meanwhile, Cheng Guoping, vice minister of foreign affairs, confirmed this week that Xi Jinping and Vladimir Putin will attend each other’s 70th-anniversary commemoration of the conclusion of World War II.
Cheng made the remarks during a news conference held by the Russian news agency Rossiya Segodnya, according to Xinhua [Chinese]. Kim Jong-un is also anticipated to participate in Russia’s events marking the conclusion of World War II.
Cheng said that China will attempt to advance its strategic relationship with Russia in the domains of aviation and space flight, energy (including nuclear power), and high-speed trains in 2018. RT provides a synopsis of Cheng’s news conference in English.
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