China is pressing Afghanistan to join its Belt and Road Initiative while preparing to launch mining projects, urging the Taliban to tighten security cooperation.
China has urged Afghanistan to formally join its Belt and Road Initiative while expressing interest in mining the country’s vast mineral reserves, the Taliban foreign ministry said Wednesday.
Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi met acting Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi in Kabul, where both sides agreed to deepen cooperation in trade, agriculture and infrastructure. “Mr. Wang Yi also mentioned that China intends to initiate practical mining activities this year,” the Afghan statement said.
Wang told Taliban leaders that Beijing would support Afghanistan’s long-term peace and stability but called on Kabul to combat militant groups. In talks with Prime Minister Mohammad Hassan Akhund, he said, “China will continue to uphold justice, oppose unilateral bullying, and engage in cooperation in various fields with Afghanistan.”
Analysts say Afghanistan’s rich deposits of lithium, copper and iron could help secure China’s supply chains as it strengthens ties with the Taliban.