Description: Chinese Foreign Minister, Wang Yi, met his Afghani counterpart, Mawlawi Amir Khan Muttaqi in Kabul where discussions were held regarding deeper and closer cooperation between the two countries in various sectors. Wang Yi stated that China would pursue the initiative of including Afghanistan in their Belt and Road Initiative which would significantly strengthen economic and strategic cooperation. Yi also stated that China could potentially launch considerable mining operations by the end of the year as Afghanistan’s vast deposits of lithium, iron and copper as well as its oil reserves provided a substantial investment opportunity. Yi and Muttaqi were also accompanied by Pakistan’s Foreign Minister, Ishaq Dar, with whom they discussed the potential for a trilateral cooperation in the region. Statement redouts from the meeting’s press release also mentioned that Yi also discussed potential security and military cooperation with Muttaqi and Dar in regard to countering the region’s militant groups and bolstering the regional security landscape.
Impact: China’s reassertion in the region arrives on the back of Afghanistan’s negative historic ties with other global powers such as the US and Russia and the need for the country’s severe economic reconstruction. China was the first one to open a diplomatic outpost in Kabul and recognize the legitimacy of the Taliban as the ruling government following Russia’s official recognition last month. China stands to substantially materialize from its potential strategic partnership with Afghanistan through the inclusion of the country in its Belt and Road Initiative which would enable China in expanding its regional footprint of influence and access to vast deposits of energy and industrial resources. Pakistan’s presence in the trilateral meeting serves as a catalyst for the expansion of regional Chinese influence and its aimed at facilitating a broader spectrum of cooperation between the three countries especially on regional security and development. Wang Yi’s visit is only days after China concluded its border dispute with India and pledged expansion of cooperation, exploiting India’s deterioration in relations with the US, while expanding regional strategic influence.