From News Desk.
The Taliban says it is planning to formally join the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) and will send a team to China to discuss the matter.
“We requested China to allow us to be a part of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor and Belt and Road Initiative … (and) are discussing technical issues today,” Commerce Minister Haji Nooruddin Azizi had told Reuters on 19 October.
The Taliban was in attendance for the BRI’s 10th anniversary forum. Experts claim the appearance of the group was a symbolic gesture of China’s growing diplomatic engagements with the acting Afghan government.
Azizi said that the Taliban would send a technical group to China to help the Far East nation understand what issues may stand in the way of Afghanistan joining. Azizi didn’t elaborate to Reuters what the roadblocks were.
“China, which invests all over the world, should also invest in Afghanistan… we have everything they need, such as lithium, copper and iron,” Azizi said.
The Taliban have been desperately seeking foreign investments since taking power following the US army’s disastrous withdrawal in 2021.
“Afghanistan is now, more than ever, ready for investment,” Azizi continued.
Afghanistan has been looking to China for investments. In July, Kabul had requested an invite to Beijing’s Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) future meetings after Iran had been granted a full membership.
China has been one of the few parties to deal with the Taliban directly, sending an ambassador to Kabul in September.
They had also signed a $6.5 billion mining contract with a number of nations in September as well in which China was included.
The Afghan economy has taken a major hit, leading the nation into crisis.
Afghanistan still has $3.5 billion frozen by the US, a move that was made following the 2021 withdrawal.
Source: The Cradle.co. 20 Oct 2023