The far east touts Afghan industry and investment programs after quake

KABUL: China’s ambassador touted trade and investment decision plans for Afghanistan on Tuesday (Jul 5), a general public endorsement for conducting business in the Taliban-controlled nation after an earthquake drew attention to the particular humanitarian consequences of Western sanctions.

At an uncommon press conference together with the Taliban administration’s acting minister to get disaster management, Ambassador Wang Yu introduced US$8 million in aid for relief from the Jun twenty two earthquake that killed over 1, 000 individuals .

“Besides emergency humanitarian help, after the political modifications last year and after the particular earthquake, we also have long-term economic reconstruction plans, ” this individual said. The priority would be trade, followed by investment, as well as farming.

No country has formally recognised the Taliban, who have seized power last year after the United States and its allies abruptly withdrew troops following two decades of war.

Western countries say the sanctions, including freezing billions of dollars in Afghan supplies, can be lifted only when the militants satisfy conditions such as lifting restrictions on participation in public life for women and girls . A few aid agencies lamented that sanctions curtailed their ability to help after last month’s earthquake.

China, which shares a remote border with Afghanistan and derives impact among its neighbours from its huge Belt and Road investment decision initiative, has regularly called for sanctions to be lifted.

The particular ambassador said negotiations were going on for two major mining projects, including Mes Aynak, a copper my own in southern Afghanistan that a Chinese state-owned company has rights to under an arrangement brokered with all the previous Afghan federal government. Afghanistan’s largely untapped mineral reserves include large deposits associated with iron ore plus copper.

Taliban administration officials, such as the group’s Supreme Chief in a speech in a gathering last week, have got said the country has to become less dependent upon aid and encourage business.

Speaking of Afghan reserves freezing in Western banks, Wang said: “China always thinks that will money belongs to the Afghan people… China has always called within the international community… for that release of the funds. ”

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