Top China official visits Afghanistan, signs security deal

[dipsydoodle]

Source: Reuters

(Reuters) - China has signed security and economic agreements with Afghanistan during a rare trip to Kabul by a top Chinese official, in deals seen aimed at bolstering Beijing's influence ahead of a NATO withdrawal of most combat forces by 2014.

Zhou Yongkang, China's domestic security chief and a member of the ruling Communist Party's central Politburo, made an unannounced visit to the Afghan capital late on Saturday, holding talks with Afghan President Hamid Karzai at his garden palace.

Zhou's visit was the first to Afghanistan by a senior Chinese leader since 1966 and followed a visit by Karzai to Beijing in June when both countries agreed to cooperate on combating extremism in the region.

During the talks, held under tight security after violent protests in Kabul over a film which insults Islam, Zhou signed agreements on increased security and economic cooperation, including a deal to help "train, fund and equip Afghan police".

Read more: http://uk.reuters.com/article/2012/09/23/uk-afghanistan-china-idUKBRE88M02I20120923

[xchrom]

1. Du rec. Nt

[sybster1000]

2. Aphganistan is rich in Lithium and other minerals

It may appear as barren to me but it is rich in Li++, Cu, etc.

The Chinese gov't is also very active in Africa and is building a road in Costa Rica from San Jose to the Carribean coast where they are building an oil refinery. And these are just 3 countries that I know about.

While we are over here squabbling about contraception and gay marriage, they are buying the damned planet. They are the next super power for sure...

http://pubs.usgs.gov/sim/3152/A/pdf/sim3152ahyperspectal_map.pdf

[psychopomp]

3. Karzai...

He seems really against the US, now; going to our rival and competitor in global power. Afghanistan is turning out to be a complete failure.

[madrchsod]

4. china will run into the same problems as the west has.

let them waste their time and money on a country run be thieves. china`s african adventures
have`t gone a smoothly as they thought it would.

empires come and go and others return.

[dipsydoodle]

5. That doesn't necessarily follow.

China has yet to do anything to piss them off.

[madrchsod]

13. a rail project in africa has run into big problems

the workers feel the chinese are ripping them off on wages. the corruption of the african leadership in some countries has also put a damper on the chinese winning the hearts and minds of the african labor force.


one good thing is we have here in the states is bbc overnight. even though it`s a bit bias it is far better than anything in the wee hours in the morning here in the states. if it was`t for bbc i would have never heard about this.

[dipsydoodle]

15. Sadly

everyone in Africa rips their populations off including for example BMW and VW.

[Comrade Grumpy]

6. This is the future of Afghanistan.

Seeking a cooperative arrangement with the local superpower.

It would be kind of like Mexico seeking security arrangements with us as a failed decade-long Chinese military occupation there was winding down.

[iamthebandfanman]

7. Was wondering when this would happen..

as they are a border neighbor and its stability should be important to them..

figures theyd wait until we were withdrawing.. wouldnt wanna help us out any or show any signs of global unity

[The Magistrate]

8. Sounds A Good Move All Around, Sir

Hope something solid comes from it.

[Jeneral2885]

9. Good for China

Western aid had its try and failed.

[sad sally]

10. Wonder if those security agreements include US forces (military or contract)?

The US has done all the heavy lifting to date with China benefitting. China is the biggest foreign investor in Afghan currently. China won the rights to Afghanistan's most valuable copper deposits in 2007, the Aynak Cooper Mine, located south of Kabul in the Logan Province. December 28, 2011, China National Petroleum Corp (CNPC) won the 25-year valid contract for the development of oil blocks in the Amu Darya basin, a project expected to earn the war-torn state billions of dollars over two decades. It marks the second major deal for China in Afghanistan after developing the huge Aynak copper mine south of Kabul, which is due to start producing by the end of 2014, nearly the same to NATO-led International Security Assistance Force (ISAF). Without the shield from ISAF, Who can be counted for protect China’s economic presence from risk? Who is protecting them now? The US. The Afghan police and security forces don't appear ready to tke over, so will it be US security forces protecting China's interests for the forever future?

[defacto7]

12. I doubt the Chinese need the US to deal with anything unless

it's in their interest to do so at our risk.

[defacto7]

11. You can bet China won't tollerate insurgents or terrorists.

They won't respect human rights either. There won't be any news to corroborate rumours; hell, there won't be any rumours either. The Chinese have plenty of soldiers to sacrifice and that will be the end of that. Humans are cheep.

[madrchsod]

14. the chinese have their own muslim problems along their eastern borders

they could be stepping into something they might regret...just like the usa has found itself.

[daleo]

16. Seems a bit early for China to join the club

Of empires who have bashed their brains out on the brick wall known as Afghanistan.

[kiranon]

17. Agree. n/t

[Franker65]

18. Bad idea

Thats not really sensible considering how bad the situations going to get once NATO withdraws

[Vidar]

19. They can't do any worse than we have.