Chinese offers $10m to Taliban for access to lithium deposits.
Posted by Jimmy Cooper / April 15, 2023A Chinese company has allegedly offered $10 billion to the Taliban in exchange for access to lithium deposits in Afghanistan. The Taliban, which recently regained control of the country, are believed to control some of the world’s largest untapped reserves of lithium, a valuable mineral used in the production of batteries for electric vehicles and other electronics.
This development highlights the potential economic opportunities and challenges facing Afghanistan under Taliban rule. The country is rich in natural resources, including minerals such as lithium, but has struggled to capitalize on these resources due to decades of conflict, corruption, and instability. The Taliban’s control of these resources raises questions about how they will be managed and who will benefit from their exploitation.
The involvement of a Chinese company in this deal also underscores China’s growing economic influence in Afghanistan and its interest in securing access to natural resources. China has invested heavily in infrastructure and development projects in Afghanistan, and has been seeking to expand its economic ties with the country. The offer to the Taliban may be seen as a move to secure a foothold in the country and gain a competitive advantage over other countries seeking to access its resources.
However, the deal is also likely to raise concerns about the human rights implications of doing business with the Taliban, which has a history of human rights abuses and has been designated as a terrorist organization by many countries. The Chinese government has faced criticism for its treatment of ethnic minorities in Xinjiang and its support for authoritarian regimes, and its involvement in Afghanistan may be seen as further evidence of its disregard for human rights and democratic values.
More news.
Comments are off for this post.