Now that foreign troops have left Afghanistan and the Taliban has taken control, the Taliban leadership is hoping to rely on financial assistance from China to combat widespread hunger and fears of economic collapse. Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid said in an interview published in an Italian newspaper on Thursday that the group views China as its “most important partner” and will rely on Chinese funding primarily.
“China represents a fundamental and extraordinary opportunity for us,” Mujahid told La Repubblica, “because it is ready to invest and rebuild our country.”
Mujahid also said that ‘One Belt One Road’, an infrastructure initiative by China to open trade routes, is “held in high regard by the Taliban.” 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 Mujahid in the interview.
Mujahid also stated that in the future, women will be permitted to continue their education at universities. He stated that women would be able to work as nurses, police officers, or ministry assistants, but ruled out the possibility of female ministers in the new government.
After the United States and its Nato allies withdrew their forces from Afghanistan, the country descended into chaos, bringing an end to a two-decade-long conflict. As the US-backed government of President Ashraf Ghani crumbled, the Taliban seized power and took control of Kabul, the capital city.
Following the shambolic departure of foreign troops, primarily from the United States, western countries have severely curtailed aid payments.
Earlier this week, United Nations secretary general Antonio Guterres warned of a looming “humanitarian catastrophe” in Afghanistan as he urged countries to provide emergency funding. Guterres also expressed his “grave concern at the deepening humanitarian and economic crisis in the country,” adding that basic services threatened to collapse “completely” in the war-torn country.
