in Samarkand, Uzbekistan. Photo Credit: AP
In early April this year (12-13), Qin Gang, Foreign Minister of the People’s Republic of China (PRC), met in Samarkand for a meeting with his counterparts from Russia, Iran, Pakistan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan. Foreign ministers of neighboring countries of Afghanistan. The meeting coincided with the release of a position paper by Beijing on its policy in Afghanistan. This 11-point paper titled ‘China’s position on the Afghan issue’ is significant for two reasons, first with regard to China’s involvement in Afghanistan, it gives a clear indication of Beijing’s policy towards the troubled country and China. It will be given priority in areas moving forward with the Taliban. Beyond Afghanistan, the paper reflects China’s recent efforts to change how it is viewed internationally – a country bent on disrupting the current world order, without any effort to address ‘international hot button issues’. Invests heavily in addressing motivation objectively. Vested interests, unlike America.
Reference to policy options
The paper first outlines the basic principles that inform Beijing’s policy choices – ‘three respects’ and ‘three nevers’, i.e. China Afghanistan’s independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity and ‘free choice’, religious sentiments and national customs Respects customs. Afghan people. These principles are placed in opposition to the policies pursued by the West, which according to Beijing, are more informed by geopolitics and their vested interests.
According to China, Afghanistan is currently transitioning from a period of unrest under the United States-backed government to relative stability under the Taliban. A consistent trope throughout the paper is the West’s failure to fulfill its commitments to the nation. Its decision to intervene militarily and impose its concept of democracy without taking into account the specific characteristics of Afghanistan has been blamed for starting the crisis in the first place. Condemning the US for imposing unilateral sanctions and illegally accumulating Afghanistan’s foreign reserves, China calls for a reversal of these actions. In response to Washington’s failure to introspect, Beijing has committed to helping Afghanistan move towards a more sustainable form of economy.
Using groups without the US, its allies
Urging the international community to approach the Afghan issue in a ‘comprehensive, balanced and objective manner’, China advocates the use of alternative regional groupings that exclude the US and its allies, such as the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) , Moscow Format Dialogue , the Group of Foreign Ministers that just met, and the China-Afghanistan-Pakistan trilateral foreign ministers’ talks to discuss the Afghan issue. This will help Beijing promote an alternative model in contrast to the battered approach of the West, allowing it to focus more on its priorities and building a consensus among Afghanistan’s neighbours.
Viewing its participation in purely humanitarian terms, good neighborliness and mutual respect for its neighbors, Beijing has refrained from acknowledging its own interests in the country. It blames the current turmoil in the world, with multiple crises and the presence of renewed competition, for forcing it to adopt a ‘proactive approach’, arguing that how the country is urging China to take charge We are doing it because America has abdicated its responsibility. This characterization of its actions is designed to hide the fact that stability in Afghanistan is also important for Beijing to achieve its security and economic interests in the country and to counter American hegemony politically and economically.
For China, the threat of terrorism emanating from Afghanistan and its potential to harm Chinese interests and personnel is very real. Calling for a bilateral and multilateral approach to respond to the ‘three forces’ of terrorism, extremism and separatism, China urged the Taliban, regional countries and the international community to crack down on terrorist groups, particularly the East Turkestan Islamic Movement and Afghanistan. urged to help. in enhancing its counter-terrorism capabilities. The question of refugees and narcotics and their cross-border smuggling is also highlighted. Due to its strategic location, Afghanistan is also very important to China economically: for its Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) and because of the presence of vast mineral resources.
From the beginning of 2023, China has taken steps to strengthen its image as a major country playing a key role in ensuring global governance and providing a ‘moderate and pluralistic environment’ for dialogue. The release of the concept paper on the Global Security Initiative and the peace proposal on Ukraine, which was preceded by the position paper on Afghanistan, signals Beijing revising its image and strengthening its role as a responsible mediator. Its apparent success in bringing Iran and Saudi Arabia to the negotiating table and visits by leaders from Europe are projected as indicators of Beijing’s growing influence.
While the Taliban have welcomed the paper and China’s “long-term political support” to the country, China’s success in Afghanistan will depend on what it can offer the Taliban. China’s loud rhetoric on relations between Afghanistan and China has failed to increase its presence on the ground. For India, China’s continued engagement with Central Asian countries as well as Russia and Iran will be consequential in understanding how their policies will shape up and what this will mean for India’s interests in Afghanistan.
Harsh V. Pant is Vice President of Studies and Foreign Policy at the Observer Research Foundation (ORF), New Delhi, and Professor at King’s College London. Shivam Shekhawat is a research assistant at the Observer Research Foundation