Afghanistan and China announced this Thursday (5) an oil exploration agreement in the Amu Daría basin, in the north of the Central Asian country. This is the first major public agreement of its kind signed by the fundamentalist Taliban regime, which returned to power in August 2021.
According to authorities in Kabul, the agreement will allow the Chinese company Xinjiang Central Asia Petroleum and Gas to explore oil in the region. The initial investment is US$ 150 million (R$ 784 million), but it is expected to reach US$ 540 million in three years. The contract is valid for 25 years.
The Taliban regime will have a 20% stake in the project, spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid said on social media. The expectation is that, soon, the percentage will rise to 75.
Still according to Mujahid, all petroleum derivatives will have to be processed on Afghan soil, without the raw fuel being exportable. “With this, the country will become self-sufficient in oil and derivatives; in the near future we will have oil exports.”
Like much of the global community, China has not formally recognized the Taliban regime, which returned to power after the withdrawal of Western troops. But Beijing has big interests in the region, especially with regard to the Belt and Road Initiative, through which it invests in infrastructure projects in Asia, Africa and Latin America to expand its influence.
The Chinese state-owned National Petroleum Corp had signed a similar agreement with the country in 2012, with support from the US, which operated in the region. At the time, it was estimated that up to 87 million barrels of oil were in Amu Daría. According to Mullah Barada, vice-premier of the Taliban regime, however, the agreement was closed after the company stopped work when the group resumed power.
The announcement of the latest agreement was made on the same day that the Taliban claimed to have killed at least eight soldiers from the Islamic State (IS) terrorist group accused of participating in the attack on a hotel used by Chinese businessmen last December.
The episode took place in the Shahr-e-naw region, one of Kabul’s main commercial areas. At least three people were killed, and 18 others were injured, including five Chinese nationals.
In September, the Taliban also signed a contract with Russia to import gasoline, diesel, gas and wheat from the country amid the Ukraine War, when European markets were closed to Moscow.
China has also expanded trade agreements in the area of energy. In November, Xi Jinping’s country announced an agreement to supply natural gas from Qatar to Beijing for 27 years.
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