China, Afghanistan as Leverage in US-China Relations... 'One Stone, Three Birds' Effect

If Seeking US Cooperation, 'Change in Attitude' Urged; To Taiwan, 'The US Is an Unreliable Country'
Hopes for Securing Natural Resources Like Afghan Oil and Copper

[Asia Economy Beijing=Special Correspondent Jo Young-shin] China has indicated its intention to leverage the collapse of the Afghan government as a lever to improve US-China relations. It also revealed its will to use the Afghan government collapse as a card to pressure Taiwan, as well as to expand its influence in the Middle East through Afghan reconstruction projects. China’s true intention is to achieve a 'three birds with one stone' effect.

[Image source=Yonhap News]

According to Chinese media such as the state-run Xinhua News Agency and Global Times on the 18th, Wang Yi, China's State Councilor and Foreign Minister in charge of diplomacy, and US Secretary of State Antony Blinken had a phone call the previous day to discuss the Afghan issue. Chinese media emphasized that the call was arranged at the request of the US side.

Global Times urged the US to first show sincerity in correcting its wrong China policies if it wants to gain China's cooperation.

In the call, Minister Wang also stressed, "It is an objective fact that China and the US differ in ideology, history, and culture, and no one can change the other," adding, "China’s core interests and major concerns must be respected."

Minister Wang further said, "China-US cooperation is a common expectation of the international community, and we are willing to engage in dialogue with the US to prevent a new civil war in Afghanistan, humanitarian disasters, and the establishment of terrorist bases." This implies a demand for the US to stop interfering in China’s core interests such as Hong Kong, Taiwan, the Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, and South China Sea sovereignty. It can also be interpreted as a call for the US to 'show sincerity' if it wants cooperation.

Zhu Yongbiao, director of the Afghanistan Research Center at Lanzhou University, added, "The US does not want Afghanistan to become a hotbed of terrorism," and "The US believes China can exert influence over Afghanistan and Pakistan."

China showed a different stance regarding the Taiwan issue. Chinese media highlighted that the US bears full responsibility for the collapse of the Afghan government and argued that Taiwan, which receives US support, could follow the same path as Afghanistan depending on the situation. They are shaking public opinion in Taiwan by emphasizing that the US is an unreliable country that abandons its allies according to its own interests.

[Image source=Yonhap News]

China is showing deep interest in Afghan reconstruction projects, especially in natural resources and power infrastructure construction.

Global Times reported that China Metallurgical Group Corporation (MCC) secured the mining rights for the Aynak mine in Afghanistan in 2007, but the project has not progressed due to instability in Afghanistan. Chinese companies are showing high interest in Afghan reconstruction projects. The mine, located near the capital Kabul, is said to have the world’s second-largest copper reserves, according to Global Times.

The media also mentioned Afghan oil field development rights. China won the development rights for the Faryab oil field in Afghanistan in 2011 for $400 million, holding the right to drill for 25 years, but the project has been suspended due to instability.

Additionally, the media added that a Chinese company is planning a $400 million investment in a coal-fired power generation project at the request of the Afghan government, and that responsible personnel have entered Afghanistan to handle related work.

Liu Zhongyi, director of the South and Central Asia Cooperation Research Center at the Shanghai Institute of International Studies, said, "If the Taliban establishes peace by implementing inclusive policies toward the Afghan people after coming to power, more mutually beneficial cooperation between China and Afghanistan will begin," adding that this will be a new opportunity for China.

Meanwhile, Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar, chairman of the Taliban Political Council, during his visit to Tianjin, China, on the 28th of last month, stated, "Afghanistan will create an appropriate investment environment," and "We look forward to China’s active participation."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.