Chinese “firms” land in Afghanistan in search of $1tn lithium reserves

Chinese companies have landed in Afghanistan in search of the country’s untouched $1tn lithium deposits.

China secretly supported the Taliban takeover of Afghanistan, and because of Pakistan gained their trust and donated early on to build on its relationship and keep the Taliban away from the Uyghur ethnic cleansings.

The Taliban are desperate for international recognition and aid to keep control over the Afghan people. China cashed in on this desperation and with the help of Pakistan, handed out a to-do and no-go list to the Taliban.

It however, did not press too hard on the group because that would be its last-ditch effort when sweettalk no longer works, and the Taliban awaken the “Afghan interest.”

Afghanistan is said to have one of the World’s largest lithium deposits. China waited for months before making a direct move, as it did not trust the Taliban’s word and credibility.

Fearing they would encourage Afghan groups and Uyghurs living in Afghanistan to battle Chinese oppression in Xinjiang.

It also waited to see how the World would react to the Taliban takeover of the country.

Now that the Taliban are desperate and China too wants free of cost rare-Earth metal deposits, it has finally sent officials of five Chinese companies in the war torn country.

China still fears that anti-Taliban groups would launch attacks on the Chinese in Afghanistan, and would be very cautious before beginning operations once the deposits are found.

It wants the Taliban to see it as a friend, but while everyone else embraced Afghan refugees, China refused to take in a single Afghan.

It wanted to keep “its population pure,” and “free from Afghan extremism.” It’s precautionary measures to eliminate Afghans entries in the country forced it to stop taking back Pakistani students studying in its Universities.

Fearing they would bring “extremist thoughts” influenced by the Taliban takeover, and also anticipating some Afghans to sneak in pretending to be Pakistanis.

All will depend on China’s desperation, its risk assessment, and how it tricks the Taliban

All will depend on its desperation for free rare-Earth metals, and whether the Taliban allow it to exploit Afghanistan and its mineral wealth.

Wherever China “invests,” it uses local labor and pays the lowest possible wage to the local workers. A Chinese supervisor constantly monitors the workers, and China’s designated elite for the country soon start to build state-of-the-art housing enclaves for their own living, while the workers are restricted to a separate living space with every room being small, identical, having a table, a chair, and one bed.

It also either deploys its military in-sync with local militia, or uses the latter alone to protect the Chinese housing and “investment,” that would soon control the political structure of the country through economic coercion, and the always looming threat of pulling all “investments” out of the country if anything is said or done against China and in the interest of the host country.

China’s state-controlled propaganda machines are then at work to dispel all revelations, and its cannon-fodder social media accounts help spread disinformation to allow it to expressly conduct its exploitation.

This has always been the sad case wherever China went. Whether it’s any African country, or even its “all-weather friend” Pakistan. China will do whatever it can to make the most money… For itself.

If Afghanistan accepts the “help” and promises of “welfare of the Afghan people,” then it too will be stuck in an endless debt and “investment” trap.

Things are accelerating in South Asia, and China has shown that it will deploy its machinery the minute it decides to take the risk.

Attacks on the Chinese in Afghanistan won’t be as worrying for China as having the Taliban take no action against Uyghur migrants, supporters, or groups.

If the Taliban end up completely supporting the Uyghur freedom movement, then that will be a major setback for China.

It will then be in a fix, to either denounce the Taliban government, or still support them to exploit the untouched Afghan wealth.

The Taliban however, have already announced China to be their “main partner.” With Pakistan’s backing and pressure, they will at no given time think of supporting the Uyghur Muslims unless something out of the ordinary happens.