China Interested In Afghanistan Mineral Mining Exploration

JAKARTA - China is interested in exploring and mining minerals in Afghanistan and wants Kabul to officially join the Belt and Road Initiative.

Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi visited Kabul and held talks with Afghanistan's Acting Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi. The two countries want to expand cooperation in various fields.

Wang said the two countries were working together to remove barriers in the trade in agricultural products and increase Afghanistan's exports to China, according to an Afghan statement.

"Mr. Wang Yi also mentioned that China intends to start practical mining activities this year," said the Taliban-led Afghan Foreign Ministry.

Beijing has yet to issue the results of the talks.

China was the first country to appoint ambassadors to Afghanistan under the Taliban and seeks to develop its ties to the hardline Islamist group that controls the war-torn country by 2021.

Poor countries rich in lithium, copper and iron deposits, can offer mineral resources wealth to improve the security of Beijing's supply chain, analysts say.