AFGHAN-CHINA RELATIONS AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT OF AFGHANISTAN

Abstract

Afghanistan is a landlocked Asian country located in the middle of the continent. Afghanistan has been ravaged by civil conflict since the late 1970s and foreign operations such as the 1979 Soviet invasion and the 2001 US invasion. Many countries have made huge contributions to Afghanistan's reconstruction, health, education, poverty reduction, security, and, most importantly, economic development. Apart from NATO-led efforts, neighboring governments, particularly Pakistan, and China, have been critical in re-establishing Afghanistan as a progressive, safe, and developed bordering country. Afghanistan has appreciated neighboring nations' involvement in many fields, most notably economic development, due to their ties. Hence, it is critical to examine Afghanistan's ties with neighboring countries and their impact on economic development. This research aimed to investigate the Afghan-China relationship and the role of China in economic development of Afghanistan. To accomplish the research objective, the Afghan-China link from history to the present is thoroughly examined. Additionally, China's future policy toward Afghanistan was discussed. Further, the impact of China on Afghanistan's economic progress was examined. Secondary sources include Afghan and China official websites and research journals, newspapers, magazines, published interviews, and statistics departments. An Afghanistan-China tie in ancient civilization extends back to 128 BC. Afghanistan and China have maintained a cordial relationship since August 30, 1922. China has maintained diplomatic relations with Afghanistan since January 20, 1955, based on China's five fundamental values of mutual respect, trust, support, and peaceful coexistence, all of which contribute to the growth of historic friendship. Until 1996, the cooperation operated well. However, relations were entirely severed from 1996 and 2001, when the Taliban ruled, but bilateral ambassadorial contacts were restored with the formation of the provincial government in 2001. China has developed economic ties with Afghanistan to contribute to the country's stability and, as a result, alleviate internal security concerns associated with the country's protracted conflict. Invest billions on infrastructure, healthcare, and education through grants and loans. China cut taxes on 278 goods to help Afghanistan and its people. China has also initiated and invested in long-term projects. Aynak copper mine was secured at a USD 3.4 billion on lease by MCC China's state-owned. In 2010, CNPC acquired 25-year boiling rights in three oil fields in the basin. These are China's two significant projects in Afghanistan, which contribute to job creation, unemployment reduction, per capita income growth, criminal activity reduction, education expansion, and healthcare improvement. Furthermore, the total trade between Afghanistan and China was USD 19.58 million in year 1999 but with the passage of time, the volume of trade increased and only the Afghan exports to China during 2019 were USD 31million and China import from Afghanistan was USD 54.51 million during 2020. This high volume of trade shows the strong relations between these two nations. Additionally, China assists Afghanistan in education, culture, telecommunications, radio, and television. Both nations are improving security cooperation to combat three lethal forces: terrorists, extremists, and separatists. Through their umbrella organizations, the SCO and SAARC encourage collaboration and coordination for regional integration. This study contributes significantly to Afghanistan-China relations, especially in light of China's foreign policy toward Afghanistan and China's role in economic development. However, future studies may investigate the association between Afghanistan, China, Pakistan, India, and the United States, as they are all significant stakeholders. A comparative examination of these nations' political, economic and security roles may be conducted.