Guns, bombs and the dragon’s diplomacy

China's policy in Afghanistan has become the most anticipated issue for its competitors.

Last month, China Daily was covered with pictures of the visiting Afghan delegation led by the head of the Afghan Taliban Political Commission Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar and Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi. Observers couldn’t resist concluding that China’s vaccine diplomacy had already reached out to the Taliban. Not surprisingly, both parties agreed to meet and discuss potential areas of cooperation in Tianjin. At the meeting, they laid out their future expectations, signalling that the fall of Afghan President Ashraf Ghani was inevitable. This week, the Taliban overran the capital. This event has transformed the political and security dynamics in South Asia. Aware of the new regional structure, more volatile and fragile, China’s foreign policy in Afghanistan has become the most anticipated issue for its strategic competitors.