{"id":1235471,"date":"2022-01-24T13:37:31","date_gmt":"2022-01-24T18:37:31","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/?p=1235471"},"modified":"2022-01-24T13:37:35","modified_gmt":"2022-01-24T18:37:35","slug":"china-prepares-afghanistan-business-expo-to-unleash-talibans-market-potential","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/china-prepares-afghanistan-business-expo-to-unleash-talibans-market-potential\/","title":{"rendered":"China Prepares Afghanistan Business Expo to Unleash Taliban&#039;s &#039;Market Potential&#039;"},"content":{"rendered":"<aside class=\"mashsb-container mashsb-main mashsb-stretched\"><div class=\"mashsb-box\"><div class=\"mashsb-count mash-medium\" style=\"&quot;\"><div class=\"counts mashsbcount\">20<\/div><span class=\"mashsb-sharetext\">SHARES<\/span><\/div><div class=\"mashsb-buttons\"><a class=\"mashicon-facebook mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservativenewsdaily.net%2Fbreaking-news%2Fchina-prepares-afghanistan-business-expo-to-unleash-talibans-market-potential%2F\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Facebook<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-twitter mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/intent\/tweet?text=&amp;url=https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/?p=1235471&amp;via=ConservNewsDly\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Twitter<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-subscribe mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"#\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Subscribe<\/span><\/a><div class=\"onoffswitch2 mash-medium mashsb-noshadow\" style=\"display:none\"><\/div><\/div>\n            <\/div>\n                <div style=\"clear:both\"><\/div><\/aside>\n            <!-- Share buttons by mashshare.net - Version: 4.0.47--><p class=\"subheading\">A group of Chinese \u201cbusiness representatives\u201d is planning an \u201cexpo\u201d event in Kabul, Afghanistan, for April, the Chinese state-run&nbsp;<em>Global Times<\/em> <a href=\"https:\/\/www.globaltimes.cn\/page\/202201\/1246684.shtml\">revealed<\/a> on Sunday, meant to help China profit off of business under the jihadist Taliban regime.<\/p>\n<p>Taliban officials have repeatedly asserted since taking power in August that they anticipated significant financial backing from the Chinese Communist Party. The Taliban, a jihadist terrorist organization that ruled Afghanistan in the 1990s, took over the country once again last year after President Joe Biden broke an agreement with the group that prompted a national campaign of conquest ending in Kabul. No foreign government has formally recognized the Taliban as the legitimate government of Afghanistan, but the former president of the country, Ashraf Ghani, fled; the Afghan military collapsed; and no significant challenge to the Taliban\u2019s control of the nation exists.<\/p>\n<figure id=\"D-ROS-B1\" class=\"a8d\"><\/figure>\n<figure id=\"M-ROS-B1\" class=\"a8d\"><\/figure>\n<figure id=\"gmxrevmore\" class=\"H\"><\/figure>\n<p>The Chinese Communist Party has <a href=\"https:\/\/www.breitbart.com\/asia\/2021\/10\/28\/iran-china-legitimize-taliban-as-interim-government-of-afghanistan\/\">referred<\/a> to the Taliban as an \u201cinterim government\u201d in the recent past, suggesting some degree of acceptance.<\/p>\n<p>The&nbsp;<em>Global Times<\/em>, a mouthpiece for the communist regime, reported that state-backed Chinese businesses (China is a communist country, so all legal business activity is government-controlled) have increased their communication with Afghan traders seeking to deepen ties with the country.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cChina and Afghan business interactions have seen an upward trend in recent days, driven by the unleashing of market potential for Afghan agricultural and other related products in China, its largest neighboring market,\u201d the propaganda newspaper reported, citing \u201cbusiness representatives\u201d in China.<\/p>\n<figure id=\"M-ROS-B2\" class=\"a8d\"><\/figure>\n<p>The \u201cexpo\u201d planned for the spring is meant to create a more \u201cdirect\u201d venue for Taliban-approved businesses to engage with Chinese buyers and increase Afghanistan\u2019s trade dependency on China, presumably to the Taliban\u2019s profit. It is also, the newspaper asserted, meant to help the two sides find \u201cdeals on complementary goods for each other\u2019s markets.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThe organizers include a wide range of government and industry representatives, with academicians, traders, producers and investors from both sides expected to participate in the events,\u201d the&nbsp;<em>Global Times&nbsp;<\/em>relayed. It reported that the event is scheduled to take place in Kabul\u2019s Chinatown and cited locals as excitedly deeming the event \u201cunprecedented.\u201d<\/p>\n<div id=\"attachment_19605338\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/01\/Chinatown-kabul.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-19605338 size-full\" src=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/01\/Chinatown-kabul.jpg\" alt=\"An Afghan man rides his bike past a China Merchandise Trade Center in Kabul, Afghanistan.\" width=\"640\" height=\"480\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-caption-text\">An Afghan man rides his bike past a China Merchandise Trade Center in Kabul, Afghanistan. (Musadeq Sadeq\/AP)<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p>Li Xijing, identified as the \u201cdeputy general manager of China Town\u201d in Kabul, confirmed Taliban involvement in the business expo.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWe have sent invitations to the various Afghan government departments, and they have indicated that they would participate in the meeting at that time \u2026 there will be more participants expected,\u201d Li told the <em>Global Times<\/em>.<\/p>\n<figure id=\"M-ROS-B3\" class=\"a8d adSo\"><\/figure>\n<p>The state-run newspaper concluded that, while the expo may bring good news to Taliban-connected businesses seeking to export their products to China, it will likely not address the consistent demands for foreign investment the Taliban has been making to China since it took control of the country.<\/p>\n<p>\u201c[L]ingering concerns such as regional stability and risks from sanctions by the West will remain major hurdles for Chinese investors to do business in the South Asian country, industry experts said,\u201d according to the&nbsp;<em>Times<\/em>. \u201cIt would be more at the level of trade rather than investment cooperation, given that the investment risk for Chinese enterprises in Afghanistan is still relatively high.\u201d<\/p>\n<figure id=\"D-ROS-B2\" class=\"a8d\"><\/figure>\n<p>The latter observation the&nbsp;<em>Global Times<\/em> attributed to regime-approved \u201cexpert\u201d professor Yan Wei of Northeast University.<\/p>\n<p>The Taliban has consistently expressed confidence that China would fund its regime. Taliban leaders have also argued that they cannot succeed as a government without significant foreign financial aid.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cChina, our great neighboring country, can have a constructive and positive role in the reconstruction of Afghanistan and also in the economic development and prosperity of the people of Afghanistan,\u201d Taliban spokesman&nbsp;Suhail Shaheen <a href=\"https:\/\/www.breitbart.com\/national-security\/2021\/08\/31\/taliban-it-is-expected-china-will-support-us\/\">said<\/a> in August, shortly after the Taliban seizure of Kabul. \u201cIt is expected [that] China [will] play its role.\u201d<\/p>\n<figure id=\"M-ROS-B4\" class=\"a8d adSo\"><\/figure>\n<p>\u201cChina is a neighbor and has a strong economy. We are trying to develop trade and economic relations with them,\u201d another Taliban spokesman, Zabihullah Mujahid, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.breitbart.com\/national-security\/2021\/10\/14\/taliban-boasts-china-ready-invest-billions-afghanistan\/\">said<\/a> in an interview in October. Mujahid said China appeared interested in investing \u201cbillions of dollars\u201d and that the jihadists had \u201cpromised them security for their investment and assets.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>On China\u2019s end, its state media enterprises declared the communist state the \u201c<a href=\"https:\/\/www.breitbart.com\/politics\/2021\/08\/21\/china-on-afghanistan-the-real-winner-of-this-disaster-is-china\/\">real winner<\/a>\u201d of the Taliban\u2019s return to power in August and has promoted the Taliban as a trustworthy international partner.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThe Taliban have repeatedly expressed their hope to develop good relations with China, and that they look forward to China\u2019s participation in the reconstruction and development of Afghanistan,\u201d Chinese Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying <a href=\"https:\/\/www.breitbart.com\/news\/china-says-ready-for-friendly-relations-with-taliban-after-rout\/\">said<\/a> the day after the Taliban occupied Kabul.<\/p>\n<div class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\">\n<p>China\u2019s financial support for the Taliban is particularly important in light of the group\u2019s inability to access Afghan government funds. As the Taliban is not a legitimate government, international institutions like the World Bank and International Monetary Fund (IMF) have frozen Afghan assets to Taliban jihadists, and bans in free states holding Afghan money have not allowed the Taliban to acquire it.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThe money belongs to the Afghan nation. Just give us our own money,\u201d Ahmad Wali Haqmal, a spokesman for the Taliban \u201cfinance ministry,\u201d <a href=\"https:\/\/www.breitbart.com\/asia\/2021\/10\/29\/taliban-wants-afghan-government-cash-just-give-us-our-money\/\">complained<\/a> in October. \u201cFreezing this money is unethical and is against all international laws and values.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p>In November, the Taliban <a href=\"https:\/\/www.breitbart.com\/asia\/2021\/11\/17\/taliban-terrorists-write-to-u-s-congress-asking-for-money\/\">wrote<\/a> an open letter to the U.S. Congress asking for funding.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cIt is quite surprising that with the announcement of the new government, the administration of the United States of America slapped sanctions on the assets of our Central Bank,\u201d the letter read in part. \u201cWe are of the belief that freezing Afghan assets cannot resolve the problem at hand neither is it the demand of the American people, hence your government must unfreeze our capital.\u201d<\/p>\n<p><em>Follow Frances Martel on&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/francesimartel\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener external\" data-saferedirecturl=\"https:\/\/www.google.com\/url?q=https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/francesimartel\/&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1643108576786000&amp;usg=AOvVaw0KBDjfSK1nNsh1__sYKp9L\">Facebook<\/a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/francesmartel\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener external\" data-saferedirecturl=\"https:\/\/www.google.com\/url?q=https:\/\/twitter.com\/francesmartel&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1643108576786000&amp;usg=AOvVaw1LWfdU6TZmKC6Kg6N3PZGX\">Twitter.<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>A group of Chinese \u201cbusiness representatives\u201d is planning an \u201cexpo\u201d event in Kabul, Afghanistan, for April, the Chinese state-run\u00a0Global Times revealed on Sunday, meant to help China profit off of &#8230;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":2315279,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_mo_disable_npp":"","fifu_image_url":"","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-1235471","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1235471","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1235471"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1235471\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2315279"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1235471"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1235471"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1235471"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}