News Brief
Beijing Cautions Chinese Mining Companies Rushing To Afghanistan
Mining in Afganistan
Since the withdrawal of US troops from Afghanistan, Chinese mining companies are looking for opportunities in the country. According to a report by the South China Morning Post, Beijing has now cautioned these Chinese mining companies against 'blindly' rushing into Afghanistan.
The necessity for Beijing to caution Chinese mining companies had arisen due to the fact that some Chinese companies had been organising inspection trips to sites in Afghanistan without prior approval from the Taliban regime.
"There have been a number of incidents of foreign nationals being held without permits in various parts of the country" said the statement issued by Chinese embassy in Kabul.
"Chinese companies and citizens are requested not to blindly listen to all kinds of information related to the development of mineral cooperation, and do not violate local laws and regulations to avoid various risks such as safety" it added.
According to Chinese director of the China-Arab Economic and Trade Promotion Committee, Yu Minghui, by early November up to 5 Chinese companies had obtained special visas to carry out on-site inspections in Afghanistan.
During the beginning of this month he also stated on Wiebo (China's twitter equivalent) that Chinese companies were inquiring about zinc, lithium, lead, antimony and beryllium deposits in Afghanistan.
Recently there had been reports indicating that the Taliban had started working with China on the Aynak Copper Mine southeast of Kabul.
However the reports may have been inaccurate as Gao Susu from the China Arab Economic and Trade Promotion Committee in Kabul stated that her organisation is not optimistic regarding resumption of work on the Aynak Copper Mine "anytime soon".
“Officials of the Taliban said they have made multiple inspections of the mine and started negotiations with the owner, but we don’t think the operation of the mine can resume now,” she added.
On Tuesday Wang Wenbin, the Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson claimed that China will explore cooperation in 'economic reconstruction' in Afghanistan after the situation in the country stabilises.
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