Episode 08 – China in Afghanistan

This episode of Dragon Road discusses Chinese outreach towards the Taliban and more about the future of China in Afghanistan.

The post Episode 08 – China in Afghanistan appeared first on Tabadlab | Understanding Change.

About this Episode

China’s foreign minister Wang Yi recently hosted a delegation of the Taliban, led by Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar, in Tianjin. The meeting highlighted Beijing’s balancing act — of seeing both an opportunity and a threat in Afghanistan in the backdrop of the withdrawal of US troops.

This is not the first time that China has made an outreach to the Taliban. The Afghan militant group has visited China before, and the Chinese maintain regular channels of communication and contact through the Taliban’s Doha office. However, the recent Taliban visit has the markings of one that was put together over a short period.

As Chinese skepticism about the U.S’s withdrawal strategy has increased in recent times, the Ministry of Foriegn Affairs in Beijing has also been wary of America supporting military groups in Afghanistan to attack China. This episode of Dragon Road discusses this and more about the future of China in Afghanistan. Raffaello Pantucci, an expert on China, gives his views in this detailed discussion about China, its relations with the Ghani Government, its dealings with Taliban, its interests in the region and its reservations with the US exit.

Tabadlab’s Dragon Road · S01 E08 – China In Afghanistan

About the Guest

Raffaello Pantello is currently a Senior Visiting Fellow at the S. Rajarantam School of International Studies (RSIS). He is also a Senior Associate Fellow at the Royal United Services Institute (RUSI). Prior to this, he was at the International Institute for Strategic Studies and the Center for Strategic and International Studies. Pantello’s research has centered around terrorism and counter-terrorism, as well as China’s regional relations. He has authored the book We Love Death As You Love Life: Britain’s Suburban Terrorists.

Publications by the Guest

Enlisting China and Russia in Managing AfghanistanAfghanistan crisis lingers over the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation summitEnd of Al Qaeda Era?Taliban’s Return in Afghanistan – A Boon For Transnational Terrorism?Reflections from Alex Younger, Former Chief of the United Kingdom’s Secret Intelligence Service (MI6)Not-So-Hidden Dragon: China Reveals Its Claws in Central Asian Security

The post Episode 08 – China in Afghanistan appeared first on Tabadlab | Understanding Change.