A Chinese mine worker was killed in an attack in northern Afghanistan on Wednesday, where the Taliban government is attempting to project security to attract investment from Beijing.
According to police, the Chinese national was traveling on Tuesday evening in Takhar province, near the Tajikistan border, when he was killed by “unknown armed men,” said provincial police spokesperson Mohammad Akbar Haqqani. He added that the man was traveling “for unknown reasons” without informing local security officials, who typically accompany Chinese nationals during their trips.
A translator who was traveling with the man was unharmed, Haqqani mentioned. Interior Ministry spokesperson Abdul Mateen Qani confirmed the details of the killing and stated that the Chinese national was a business owner with a mining contract in Afghanistan.
The Chinese embassy in Kabul did not respond to AFP’s request for comment, and no militant group has claimed responsibility for the attack.
The Taliban government is promoting Afghanistan’s vast untapped natural resources as a potential economic lifeline and a lucrative opportunity for foreign investors, despite ongoing security concerns. China, a neighboring country, is emerging as a potential investment partner.
Chinese and Afghan officials gathered in Kabul on Tuesday for an event marking 70 years of diplomatic ties. Deputy Foreign Minister Sher Mohammad Abbas Stanekzai reassured attendees, saying, “I would like to assure my Chinese friends that there is peace and security in Afghanistan.” He invited Chinese businesspeople and investors to confidently invest in Afghanistan.
