Biden’s Afghanistan Withdrawal Is a Blow for China
The prospect of civil war between the Taliban and the Kabul government bodes ill for Beijing’s interests.
Afghan Taliban militants and villagers gathering in 2020.
Photographer: Noorullah Shirzada/AFP
In Kabul late last year, Afghan security forces busted a Chinese cell that had been trying to infiltrate terrorist networks in the country. Although Beijing claimed ignorance about the activities of the group — reports vary on whether there were 10 or 13 people arrested — it reportedly sent a special envoy to secure their release.
To spare Beijing’s blushes, the government of President Ashraf Ghani said little about these events beyond acknowledging that the group was rounded up. But Afghan officials briefing journalists about the operation have said that the men and women were working for Chinese intelligence and were seeking the help of the Pakistan-backed terrorist organization known as the Haqqani Network to gather information about Uyghur groups operating in Afghanistan.