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Only hours after Taliban forces swept into Kabul in August 2021 and ousted the Afghan government, Beijing said it was ready to step in and help the country get back on its feet. Beijing has a tangled history with the Taliban that stretches back decades, but the group's return to power once again resurfaced questions about whether they can be a reliable partner for China.
Beijing was already courting the group before the chaotic U.S. withdrawal and has long had an eye on Afghanistan’s vast mineral wealth. But what do China and the Taliban actually want from each other? And can they deliver?
On the latest episode of Talking China In Eurasia, host Reid Standish is joined by Ali Latifi, the Kabul-based Asia editor for the New Humanitarian, for an on-the-ground look at where Chinese business stands after two years of Taliban rule. Later in the program, the German Marshall Fund’s Andrew Small breaks down Beijing’s complicated history with the group and what it might tell us about China and the Taliban’s future together.
Listen to the full episode here:
Background Reading:
- A Year After Taliban Takeover, What Are China's Plans For Afghanistan?
- Taliban 'Removing' Uyghur Militants From Afghanistan's Border With China
- China Prepares For A New Era In South Asia After Taliban Takeover
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- Listen to past episodes of Talking China In Eurasia
