HOW THE TALIBAN RULE SEEK CHINESE ALIGNMENT FOR AFGHANISTAN
Beijing will provide some immediate economic support, but proceed to greater involvement more gingerly. "Beijing will be happy to dangle promises and engage in talks on the BRI and CPEC extensions, but will not move ahead with anything on the ground until they are confident of political and security conditions
When the U.S. departed in disarray, Afghanistan's newly ensconced Taliban regime is looking to China for major investments in the coming six months, but experts expect Beijing to tread a very cautious line.
Zabiullah Mujahid, the Taliban spokesperson, said earlier this week that the new government wants to join the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor, or CPEC, the flagship $50 billion Pakistan component of China's Belt and Road Initiative.
A Taliban source on condition of anonymity hinted that China has been courting the Taliban since 2018 on possible projects in Afghanistan. "There are verbal agreements between Beijing and Taliban about investments," he said. "Once the Taliban government gains global recognition, China will start building infrastructure projects in war-torn Afghanistan."
The Taliban is desperately on cause to nurse back Afghanistan into international recognition and the Taliban will gladly take any deal from the Chinese.
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