China shall be ‘very cautious’ coping with the Taliban authorities, former U.S. ambassador says

China will tread cautiously in Afghanistan and its fundamental aim can be to work with the Taliban on border safety, a former U.S. ambassador to Beijing mentioned Friday.

The world’s second-largest financial system is without doubt one of the few international locations that established pleasant relations with the Taliban even earlier than the militant group took over Afghanistan in a matter of days final month.

“I anticipate that China shall be very cautious,” Max Baucus, who was the U.S. ambassador to China between February 2014 and January 2017 underneath former President Barack Obama, mentioned on CNBC’s “Squawk Field Asia.”

“They won’t attempt to take over the nation as different international locations, together with the U.S., have,” he mentioned, including that China is fearful about potential terror assaults inside its borders or on Chinese language targets within the area, carried out from Afghan soil.

“Their main concern is East Turkestan. They’re going to work with the Taliban to assist make sure that there’s little or no terrorism from Afghanistan,” Baucus mentioned, referring to the Uyghur extremist group referred to as the East Turkestan Islamic Motion.

The previous ambassador added that developments in Afghanistan will take a look at america as its international navy and political clout decline following its withdrawal, leaving room for others like China to fill the hole.

“That is going to check america,” Baucus mentioned, including, “We do not but have a strongly outlined coverage for China, and now this withdrawal goes to complicate the event of that strategic coverage towards China.”

For years, Afghanistan served as an vital yard for China, in keeping with Mohammad Shafiq Hamdam, who beforehand served as deputy safety advisor to former President Ashraf Ghani.

“Their curiosity is only financial and political,” he advised CNBC’s “Avenue Indicators Asia” on Friday, including that the Taliban and the Chinese language authorities have little or no in widespread other than “difficult the U.S. presence within the area (and) difficult NATO allies.”

China is eager about Afghanistan’s trillions of {dollars} value of untapped mineral assets that may doubtlessly assist Beijing enhance its international affect, in keeping with Hamdam, who additionally beforehand served as senior advisor to NATO in Afghanistan.

He defined that China can place itself as a substitute supply for the Taliban as Afghanistan is in determined want of financial help.