Chinese delegation in Afghanistan to explore trillion dollar lithium projects: Report

A group of Chinese delegations have arrived in Afghanistan to explore nearly a trillion-dollar rare earth materials, reported Global Times. The delegation includes top businessmen of China who rushed to the war-torn country on special visas and are conducting on-site inspections of potential lithium projects. Citing Yu Minghui, director of the committee which has been assisting Chinese companies explore business opportunities in Afghanistan, the Chinese media outlet said both the China Arab Economic and Trade Promotion Committee in Kabul and Afghanistan's mining ministry helped the Chinese businessmen to obtain special visas.  

"They have arrived in the Chinatown and are conducting inspections in Afghanistan as planned. I believe these company representatives received the first batch of special visas to visit the country" Minghui told GT. 

Some Chinese business tycoons show reluctance to invest in Afghanistan

Further, the director informed that the delegation landed in Afghanistan in the first week of November. However, he noted some of the Chinese business tycoons show reluctance in visiting the country, citing security reasons. According to him, the businessmen also fear investing in Afghanistan, citing the security of their employees and infrastructures. He believed the businesses are required to coordinate with the local authorities in order to establish their companies. Also, Minghui said some businesspeople praised the Afghan Taliban's friendliness toward Chinese investors.

"Some believe friendly relations between China and Afghanistan… are conducive to Chinese companies' operations," Yu told the Global Times. At least 20 Chinese state-owned and private companies have also made inquiries about lithium projects, Gao Susu, a staffer at the China Arab Economic and Trade Promotion Committee said. "However, despite the growing interest and on-site inspections, major hurdles and risks remain for any potential project and many companies will likely adopt a wait-and-see attitude until conditions improve industry," some insiders were quoted as saying by GT. 

Chinese firms try to grab the opportunity

A series of incidents unfolded after the Taliban captured the national capital, Kabul, on 15 August. Since the Taliban's conquest, lakhs of desperate Afghan nationals have fled the war-torn country and taken refuge in different countries. Lakhs of people are still waiting for their turn to reach other countries. Despite facing a barrage of criticism and pressure from international communities, the terror organisation stood staunchly against the requests and warnings. Grabbing this as an opportunity, the Chinese firms promised the all-men government to provide jobs to the local youths and humanitarian assistance to lakhs of Afghans facing after the extremist group took over the country.

(With inputs from ANI)

(Image: AP/Pixabay)