The Taliban has said it looks to Beijing to rebuild Afghanistan and exploit its rich copper deposits as the war-ravaged country faces widespread hunger and fears of an economic collapse.
Taliban have described China as its “most important partner” in rebuilding the war-ravaged Afghanistan.
The Taliban has said it looks to Beijing to rebuild Afghanistan and exploit its rich copper deposits as the war-ravaged country faces widespread hunger and fears of an economic collapse.
Taliban spokesperson Zabihullah Mujahid said that Taliban support China's One Belt, One Road initiative that seeks to link China with Africa, Asia and Europe through an enormous network of ports, railways, roads and industrial parks.
"China is our most important partner and represents a fundamental and extraordinary opportunity for us because it is ready to invest and rebuild our country," Geo News quoted Mujahid as saying in an interview to an Italian newspaper on Thursday.
Also read: Taliban co-founder Mullah Baradar to lead new government in Afghanistan: Sources
There are "rich copper mines in the country, which, thanks to the Chinese, can be put back into operation and modernised. In addition, China is our pass to markets all over the world," said Zabihullah Mujahid.
China has been signalling for some time that it has no issue in dealing with the Taliban. Last month, it said that Beijing was ready to work with the Taliban.
Stating that China respects Afghanistan's sovereignty and will not interfere and follow the friendship with "entire Afghan people", Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Wang Wenbin said on Tuesday that, "facts show that in realising economic development we need an open inclusive political structure, implementation of moderate foreign and domestic policies and clean break from terrorist groups in all forms,” reported PTI.
Besides China, Russia and Pakistan are other two nations who have open and active interactions with top leadership of Taliban as they, in a sense, see the US departure from Afghanistan as a strategic win in the region.
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