China has signaled its interest in Afghanistan’s untapped mineral wealth and urged Kabul to join the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), during talks between senior officials in Kabul on August 20, according to Reuters.
Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi met with Afghanistan’s acting Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi where both sides expressed a willingness to expand cooperation in mining, trade, agriculture, and infrastructure development.
According to China’s foreign ministry, Wang pledged Beijing’s support for Afghanistan’s long-term peace and stability while calling for closer political and security ties. He urged the Taliban government to strengthen counter-terrorism measures, saying such efforts would underpin broader economic cooperation.
“Mr. Wang Yi also mentioned that China intends to initiate practical mining activities this year,” Afghanistan’s foreign ministry said, highlighting Beijing’s keen interest in exploiting Afghanistan’s lithium, copper, and iron reserves.
In a separate meeting with Taliban Prime Minister Mohammad Hassan Akhund, Wang stressed that China would “continue to uphold justice, oppose unilateral bullying, and engage in cooperation in various fields with Afghanistan.”
China has become one of the few countries to formally engage with the Taliban since the group seized power in 2021. Last year, Beijing became the first to appoint an ambassador to Kabul under Taliban rule, signaling its intent to deepen ties despite international isolation of the Afghan government.
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