China still interested in Afghanistan prospects, will invest

The Chinese mouthpiece Global Times has reported that China is still interested in investing in Afghanistan despite decades of turmoil as it has rich economic assets. The country has rich stores of "mineral resources" like copper, gold, lithium and rare earths, and it has other natural reserves like oil, natural gas, coal and iron ore the Times said.

The Times report also took a dig at American discomfort over China filling the perceived vacuum of power left after the US departure. China would invest according to its overall global interests with no interest in the complaints of US media outlets it declared. Chinese investment would also depend on the Taliban's ability to create a safe atmosphere for work, domestic production, suppress terrorism and other factors.

Even as the rebuilding of Afghanistan was slated to take a long time, the Chinese government and the Taliban shared a genuine willingness to cooperate to improve the well-being of Afghan people, even though there are still some areas which require further discussion, the Global Times said. The Taliban have expressed their readiness for Chinese investment to boost Afghanistan's ailing economy and provide jobs for the locals.

A stable Afghanistan was better for the overall prospects of peace in the region and conducive to China's own interests the Global Times said.