Myths about Trump’s Troop Pullout
To explain, once the U.S. forces leave, China’s People’s Liberation Army (PLA) will be free to enter Afghanistan.
Notably, the PLA is building a “training camp” for “Afghan security forces” in Afghanistan, Business Insider claims. Plus China supposedly provided Afghanistan’s security forces with $70 million in military aid in the first half of 2018.
In addition, a PLA battalion is apparently training for operations in Afghanistan’s Wakhan Corridor, The South China Morning Post claims. Additionally, there are plans for a base in the Wakhan Corridor.
Beijing wants troops in the corridor because Islamic terrorists could use it to enter the Chinese region of Xinjiang. In particular, the Chinese are afraid foreign terrorists will link up with local Islamic rebels in Xinjiang.
Other Chinese reasons to enter Afghanistan include mineral wealth. For instance, there have been Chinese efforts to exploit Mes Aynak a massive copper deposit in Afghanistan.
Specifically, Mes Aynak could contain 450 million metric tons of copper worth $50 billion, China Dialogue claims. However, Chinese efforts to exploit Mes Aynak have stalled.
Finally, Afghanistan could be part of the right away for China’s One Belt, One Road project. To explain, One Belt, One Road; or the New Silk Road, is a series of rail and sea routes connecting China’s industry with markets in Europe, the Middle East, and Africa.
Afghanistan could be a logical route for One Belt, One Road or the Belt and Road Initiative. Specifically, some maps of the “roads” appear to show a route running across Afghanistan.
Obviously, Chinese mining; or railroad building, in Afghanistan cannot begin until U.S. troops leave. In addition, Chinese miners and railroad builders will need PLA protection.