China’s Interests in Afghanistan: An Assessment Post US Withdrawal

Abstract

Though long in the offing, US withdrawal from Afghanistan became a reality with the signing of the Doha Agreement on 29 February 2020, ultimately leading to the establishment of Taliban 2.0 in Kabul. The unravelling of the two-decade-old US-led war and reconstruction effort in Afghanistan led to a long-predicted scramble among the regional powers to fill the vacuum created by US withdrawal and threw up a plethora of intriguing questions, particularly regarding China’s role and interests in the region. This article seeks to understand and analyze China’s ever-growing engagement in Afghanistan through the paradigm of Realism, arguing that China has long-term geo-strategic and geo-economic interests in the region which requires it to coordinate more closely with Pakistan and Iran and innovate diplomatically. This article is divided into two sections. The first section focuses on China’s interests in Afghanistan viz. BRI-CPEC extension in Afghanistan, rare earth, and the need to ensure peace and stability. The second section assesses China’s response to the emerging situation by focusing on China’s engagement with the Taliban 2.0 and co-opting of Pakistan and Iran for safeguarding its long-term interests. This article concludes while looking at the position of India in the gamut.

Polish Journal of Veterinary Sciences

“…Aprepitant is accepted as category B in human medicine, with no teratogenicity reported in animal studies (Cada et al 2003); however, there are no reports of systematic testing in pregnant women (La Russo et al 2008). In contrast, casopitant is not recommended for use in pregnant women (EMA 2009).…”

Strategic Interests and Geopolitical Considerations: Assessing the Importance of Afghanistan for the US Post-Withdrawal

“…It would also undermine Russia's efforts to assist Afghanistan and advertise its influence in Central Asia (Saima, 2023). Additionally, it would unsettle regional governments, especially China and Russia, who are trying to make diplomatic and economic inroads (Manish et al, 2023). Furthermore, it would risk tamping down anti-Western sentiment and preventing Afghanistan from becoming a base for transnational terrorist groups (Ayalon et al, 2022).…”