China chases Afghan foothold

Vice Foreign Minister Wang reopens China's embassy in Kabul

By Willy Wo-Lap Lam
Senior China Analyst

(CNN) -- Beijing is boosting ties with Afghanistan in the hope that a foothold there will help counter the perceived threat from an enhanced American presence in Central Asia.

A senior Chinese official, Vice-Foreign Minister Wang Yi, was in Kabul to re-open the Chinese embassy.

Official Chinese media on Thursday quoted Wang as expressing Beijing's "resolute support" of the Afghanistan interim government.

He also said China would take part "in a more enthusiastic and comprehensive manner" in the country's reconstruction.

The China News Service (CNS) on Thursday quoted the Foreign Ministry spokesman Sun Yuxi as calling on Chinese enterprises to "seize business opportunities in the reconstruction of Afghanistan."

Sun, who is rumored as Beijing's choice for Ambassador to Kabul, said many opportunities existed in areas including infrastructure, minerals, tourism and the services.

CNS reported that China had comparative advantages in Afghanistan because it was the only country that had never once been Kabul's foe.

A source close to Beijing's foreign policy establishment said the Jiang Zemin administration wanted to boost relations with Kabul with a view to establishing a foothold in Central Asia to counter U.S. influence.

The red flag is flying once more over the Kabul mission

"Beijing is worried that the U.S. is using the fight against terrorism as an excuse to perpetuate its influence and even bases in countries including Afghanistan, Uzbekistan and Tajikistan," the source said.

"Before September 11, Beijing had tried to build relations with the Taliban through the Pakistanis. But now that Islamabad does not have much clout in Kabul, Beijing thinks it needs to pay more attention and give more aid to Afghanistan."

At the Tokyo meeting on global aid to Afghanistan, Beijing pledged a mere $1 million in funds and 30 million yuan worth of supplies.

However when Hamid Karzai, the head of the Afghan interim government, was in Beijing late last month, the leadership pledged a further aid package of $150 million.

Beijing is understood to be satisfied with the level of importance that the Karzai team has attached to China.

The official Chinese media, however, has continued to remain restrained in its reporting of American activities in Central Asia.