VOA News May 16, 2022 Navbahor Imamova WASHINGTON — In the two most recent U.S. presidential administrations, Central Asia has been caught up in Washington’s “strategic competition” with Beijing, experts say. And, they add, that under the presumption that Central Asians share Washington’s concerns, the United States, highlighting human rights violations in China’s western region of
Asim Kashgarian VOA News February 1, 2022 WASHINGTON — It’s approaching six months since the Taliban took over the Afghan capital, Kabul, on August 15. And in the months since the U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan, neighboring China has taken a keen interest in the fate of the Central Asian country. The interest, in fact, predated the
Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty October 25, 2021 Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi will meet with Taliban representatives during a visit to Qatar, in their latest high-level talks since the withdrawal of U.S.-led international forces in August. The visit to Doha, where the Taliban has its political office, is scheduled for October 25-26 to discuss “issues
Ayesha Tanzeem VOA News October 14, 2021 KABUL, AFGHANISTAN — China wants to invest billions of dollars in Afghanistan if the Taliban guarantee security for their workers and their assets. This, according to the Taliban’s acting Deputy Minister of Information and Culture Zabihullah Mujahid, who also said his government is ready to deliver. In a television
By RFE/RL’s Tajik Service October 4, 2021 KHATLON, Tajikistan — The Taliban has provided Tajik militants based along the border with Tajikistan with new military vehicles, weaponry, and other equipment over the past two weeks, security sources in Tajikistan and northeastern Afghanistan say, amid an ongoing military buildup on both sides of the frontier. The sources
By VOA News September 10, 2021 China on Wednesday announced a $31 million aid package for Afghanistan, in what appears to be one of the first new foreign aid pledges for the Taliban-ruled country. The aid will include food, winter weather supplies and COVID-19 vaccines. “China has decided to urgently provide $30.96 million (200 million
Reid Standish Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty August 20, 2021 The sudden takeover of Afghanistan by the Taliban ahead of the withdrawal of U.S. troops from the country has left China facing a precarious mix of opportunity and risk as it prepares to deal with the new power brokers in Kabul. Only hours after the Taliban took control
Ayaz Gul VOA News July 28, 2021 ISLAMABAD – Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi reportedly pressed the leaders of Afghanistan’s insurgent Taliban group Wednesday to “make a clean break” from all terrorists, including the anti-China East Turkistan Islamic Movement, or ETIM, during a meeting he hosted. Officials from both sides said Taliban deputy political chief
By Reid Standish Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty July 20, 2021 As U.S. troops draw down in Afghanistan, Chinese officials have stepped up contacts with the Taliban as it surges across the country and builds strategic footholds against Afghan government forces. On paper, Beijing and the Taliban are strange bedfellows. China is an atheistic, communist state that