Geo-Strategic Trend - 77. page

Since the military coup in Guinea, its relationship with China has received increased attention. Guinea has long maintained good relations with China. During the Presidency of Alpha Condé, Guinea became an important ally of China’s “Belt and Road” project.

China is the main importer of bauxite ore from Guinea, accounting for nearly half of the country’s total imports. Chalco’s (Aluminum Corporation of China Limited) bauxite project in Boffa, Guinea started operation in April 2020. As a result of exploration, the project sees resources of about 1.75 billion tons which will allow mining for up to 60 years. The total investment in the first phase of the project is about US$585 million and the designed capacity is 12 million tons of high-quality bauxite per year.

Simandou in southern Guinea is one of the world’s largest undeveloped high-quality open-pit hematite mines, with proven reserves of 2.4 billion tons and an estimated annual production of 150 million tons at full capacity, although its exploitation has been delayed by legal disputes and corruption allegations.

In November 2019, the Winning Consortium, a consortium led by a Chinese company, obtained 85 percent of the ownership of blocks 1 and 2 in the north of Simandou. In the south, Chinese companies control 40 percent of Blocks 3 and 4.

China imports more than 1 billion tons of iron ore each year. About 60 percent of it comes from Australia and 20 percent from Brazil. Although Simandou’s production seems small, analysts believe China can use it to reduce its dependence on Australia at a time when Sino-Australian relations have hit a freezing point.

The close ties between the two countries made Guinea one of the first countries to receive Chinese vaccine aid this year. Earlier, China was quick to congratulate President Condé after he amended the constitution and was re-elected president in October 2020, despite the opposition’s accusations of electoral fraud.

Source: BBC Chinese, September 7, 2021
https://www.bbc.com/zhongwen/simp/world-58474966

Deutsche Welle Chinese Edition recently reported that Internationale Politik (IP) magazine under the German Council on Foreign Relations (DGAP) commissioned a survey conducted by Forsa, a polling agency. The survey showed that 58 percent of Germans believe that, even if economic and trade relations with China will be affected, Germany should adopt a tougher policy toward China and pay more attention to defending Germany’s own interests. Around 17 percent of the interviewees supported a tougher position if economic and trade relations are not affected. Another 19 percent of the respondents opposed any form of hardline in principle. China is often criticized by the international community for its bad human rights record, especially on its suppression of Uyghur Muslims. However, Germany has strong economic and trade ties with China. In Germany’s current federal election, the China issue clearly occupies a more important role than in the past. The campaign strategy papers of all major German political parties have all covered their China policies in great length.

Source: DW Chinese, August 30, 2021
https://bit.ly/3h7z8wp

Global Times recently reported that Taliban spokesperson Zabiullah Mujahid mentioned in an interview with the Italian newspaper La Repubblica that China is Afghanistan’s “Passport to the Global Market.” He also emphasized that, “China is our most important partner. This is a fundamental and unusual opportunity for us, because China is willing to invest and rebuild our country.” Zabiullah Mujahid expressed his strong interest in China’s Belt and Road project. He made it clear that the Taliban hopes to rebuild Afghanistan’s economy with the help of China. He said that Afghanistan is rich in copper resources. With China’s participation, production can be restarted and modernized. Mujahid also encouraged Western countries like Italy to have diplomatic contacts with the Taliban. Recently, the Taliban has repeatedly released friendly messages about China. On September 2, Chinese Assistant Foreign Minister Wu Jianghao had a phone conversation with the deputy director of the Taliban’s political office in Doha. The two sides exchanged views on the situation in Afghanistan and issues of common concern. The Taliban emphasized that China is a “trustworthy friend of Afghanistan.” The Taliban is willing to continue developing friendly relations between Afghanistan and China, and will never allow any force to use Afghan territory to threaten China’s interests.

Source: Global Times, September 3, 2021
https://world.huanqiu.com/article/44cCVl3AGPi

China held its first diplomatic talks with the Taliban on Wednesday August 25, establishing “effective communication” with the insurgent group in Afghanistan. However, the growing relationship between the two countries seems to be contingent on the Taliban’s ties with the East Turkestan Islamic Movement (ETIM), a Uyghur militant group.

ETIM is an extremist group of native Uyghurs, which is a Muslim minority in China. The ETIM’s stated objective is to form a sovereign nation of East Turkestan. It is to be carved out from Xinjiang province.

In 2002, the United Nations and the US officially designated the ETIM as a terrorist group. “ETIM has a close financial relationship with al-Qaida and many of its members’ received terrorist training in Afghanistan, financed by al-Qaida and the Taliban. A statement from the US Treasury Department in 2002 said, “A number of ETIM and ETIM-linked militants were captured in Afghanistan last fall fighting alongside al-Qaida and the Taliban.”

On August 30, a Chinese government spokesperson for Xinjiang province said, “In the past, the ETIM gathered in Afghanistan, posing a direct threat to the security and stability of Xinjiang. It is hoped that the Afghan Taliban draw a clear line from ETIM and attack them resolutely and effectively.”

Days earlier, on August 27, Xi Jinping, the general secretary of Chinese Communist Party (CCP) said in a meeting in Beijing, “We must resolutely guard against major hidden dangers in the ethnic field. It is necessary to  …  eliminate ethnic divisions and religious extremes.” “We must strengthen international anti-terrorism cooperation.”

Source: Central News Agency, August 30, 2021
https://www.cna.com.tw/news/acn/202108300168.aspx

On August 27, 2021, China’s Foreign Ministry spokesman Zhao Lijian said that the head of the Afghan Taliban made it clear to the Chinese side that the Afghan Taliban will never allow any force to use the Afghan territory to engage in acts that hurt China. Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying said on August 16, “The situation in Afghanistan has undergone major changes. We respect the will and choice of the Afghan people.”

The following are examples of Chinese netizens’ responses on Chinese social platforms.

“I feel furious and shameful when I see some unscrupulous media whitewashing the Taliban! The Taliban villains who caused serious injuries and massacres of countless innocent women on September 11 should be executed! The enemy’s enemy will not be a friend! Those who do not have correct thoughts and morals are unpopular no matter where they are!”

“Who would have thought that in 2021, when civilization has developed to such a high level, a group of people is still cheering for the murderers.”

“Hua Chunying said that the Afghan people chose the Taliban, so I ask, does it [Hua] have a sense of humanity? Can it [Hua] choose the fate of being stoned to death on behalf of all the Afghan people who love equality, freedom, and civilization? Is Hua Chunying still a human being?”

“I think everyone must not believe certain Chinese official accounts that are whitewashing the floor. Last night, the Taliban’s press conference made it very clear that the protection of women’s rights is within the Islamic law and is no different from the previous Taliban’s ideology and beliefs. Can a brutal and extreme terrorist organization … become a Buddha overnight? Those in our country who deliberately play a praising tune don’t support the bandits. …”

“China should be worried. This miscalculation of the United States will not weaken its determination to participate in international affairs but will only reinforce its determination and strength to take action in the future. It seemed that the United States might be embarrassed when it evacuated from South Vietnam, but how decisive it was in conquering Grenada afterward, [and entering Panama and beating Iraq].”

“The regional geo-political situation has indeed worsened, and Afghanistan is close to Xinjiang. I am afraid that it will become a training base for terrorists and a rear output center. In a sense, the withdrawal of U.S. troops is a big loss for our country.”

“Now we need to worry about the question seriously: With the emergence of this extreme Islamic regime, will the sparsely populated Wakhan Corridor, which directly connects to western China, look different from now on?”

Sources:

1.) China’s Foreign Affairs Ministry, August 16 and 27, 2021
https://www.fmprc.gov.cn/web/wjdt_674879/fyrbt_674889/t1902491.shtml
http://new.fmprc.gov.cn/web/fyrbt_673021/t1899761.shtml

2,) Radio France Internationale, August 21, 2021
https://tinyurl.com/ywwn5jac

According to CCTV, on August 26, during a regular press conference, the Ministry of Commerce spokesperson said that, in 2020, bilateral trade between China and Afghanistan reached 550 million U.S. dollars. From January to June this year, bilateral trade between China and Afghanistan reached US$310 million, up 44 percent year over year. By the end of June, China had invested US$430 million in Afghanistan.

Source: Sina, August 26, 2021
https://mil.news.sina.com.cn/2021-08-26/doc-ikqcfncc5135561.shtml