China's Increased Interest in Afghanistan

The withdrawal of NATO troops from the Middle East has heightened concern within the Chinese government. In the past, China has been able to establish mining agreements with the nearby country Afghanistan, while the Western forces were occupied keeping the Taliban at bay. However, the absence of NATO forces could threaten not only the stability of China’s trade agreements but also the region. To address the issue, China has already planned to hold a conference on Afghanistan titled “Heart of Asia.” Leaders from nations in the region, such as India and Pakistan, are schedule to be in attendance to discuss the future of the country.

While China is concerned about its recent trade agreements with Afghanistan, an even bigger concern for the Chinese is the possibility of Uighur militants who have been pushing for a separate Xinjiang, a region is western China, taking advantage of the power vacuum left in the wake of NATO’s withdrawal. It is believed that hundreds of Uighur rebels already reside along the Afghan-Pakistani border, and both the Pakistani and Afghan Taliban are sympathetic to their cause.

China’s current relationship with Afghanistan is primarily an economic one. China has invested hundreds of millions of dollars in the drilling of oil and developing of mines in Afghanistan. However, many say that if China wishes to avoid an augmented Uyghur threat, then it must seize the opportunity of NATO withdrawal to increase diplomatic relations with Afghanistan and Pakistan and to ease tension between the two. China would achieve more stability in the two countries on top of gaining more influence in the region. 

Article Used: http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/04/14/us-china-afghanistan-diplomacy-idUSBREA3D0H120140414