China's Long-Term Strategy for Afghanistan

China is a country that has always taken a long view of the world and its destiny. Its relationship with Afghanistan is no exception. China has time on its side and they are using it. They have avoided becoming involved in the internal politics of Afghanistan. They have not to any large degree supported the Western powers in their military occupation of Afghanistan (through military assistance, troops in the ground, and participating in the Northern Distribution Network NDN). China has been engaged with Afghanistan in other areas - especially in the economic sector. China sees a stable Afghanistan as a source for raw materials (Afghanistan has a large amount of raw minerals) and as a market for China's export of finished goods. Many observers note that the Western powers are doing the heavy lifting in the fight against the Taliban and one of the countries that will benefit the most from a successful conclusion of the conflict will be China. You can read more about the China-Afghanistan relationship in a paper wrote by Serafettin Yilmaz - a doctoral candidate in Asia-Pacific Studies (IDAS) at National Chengchi University (NCCU) in Taiwan.

"Afghanistan: China's New Frontier?", December 19, 2012.
www.e-ir.info/2012/12/19/afghanistan-chinas-new-frontier/