CHINA’S STRATEGY TOWARDS TALIBAN-LED AFGHANISTAN

With the withdrawal of the United States and NATO-led forces from Afghanistan, the instant takeover of Kabul by the Taliban forces shocked the World. China was the only country that responded this shift with calm and cautiousness. China’s calmness over this major shift on the regional level has raised several questions regarding its policy and approach towards Afghanistan under Taliban rule. As a hard-headed worldwide player as well as a competitor of the United States, China must have some strategies and reasons to deal with the Taliban-led Afghanistan for the achievement of its mega plans. It is conceivable that all present and future plans of China require peaceful and stable South and Central Asia, which is far-fetched without political stability and security in Afghanistan. To understand the way, China deals with the Taliban-led Afghanistan, this paper explores four questions. First, what did China want from Taliban? Is Takeover of Taliban an opportunity for China to fill vacuum or there are other interests? What does China make of this new transition? And, how will China go ahead with Taliban-led Afghanistan? This research finds that China needs to have cordial relations with Taliban ruled Afghanistan for the peace and stability in the region so that it could accomplish its regional and international projects.