Security in Xinjiang: key for China’s Taliban relations – Ian Johnson

 

Ian Johnson

A lot of speculations have marred the relations between Afghanistan’s Taliban and the outside world. For China for example the exploitation of rare earths shows up regularly, but China veteran Ian Johnson, a senior fellow at the CFR, explains why security in Xinjiang is key for China’s considerations, he tells in PRI.

PRI:

Some powers in the region are quickly making their calculations based on their own interests. Russia and Iran, for example, have kept their embassies open. Pakistan has long had close relations with the Taliban and the Chinese are taking stock of the situation.

“China’s primary interest in Afghanistan is security,” said Ian Johnson, senior fellow for China studies at the Council on Foreign Relations. “It shares a small border with Afghanistan and is worried about the perceived threat of terrorism that could emanate from there.”

Johnson, who lived in China for 20 years, added that right now, Beijing is struggling to control a western part of China called Xinjiang. And it has implemented draconian policies on the population there, justifying it on the grounds of Islamist terrorism.

“They worry that this kind of extremism could come across the border from Afghanistan if the Taliban were to revert to its ways [of] the 1990s,” he said.

China also sees some potential economic benefits in Afghanistan — such as in mining and infrastructure. And Afghanistan could really use China’s help since aid from Western countries has dropped significantly, and Afghanistan is highly dependent on aid for its economy.

“So, if China can step in and, maybe not replace the West, but at least keep the coffers somewhat filled, then that would be really, really important,” Johnson said. “And I think among the countries that could do that, China is the main one. Russia would probably like to do something like that, but it lacks the financial, economic muscle to do that kind of thing.”

More in PRI.

Ian Johnson is a speaker at the China Speakers Bureau. Do you need him at your (online) meeting or conference? Do get in touch or fill in our speakers’ request form.

Are you looking for more experts in managing your China risk at the China Speakers Bureau? Do check out this list.

China’s tricky relationship with the Taliban – Ian Johnson

 

Ian Johnson

China has been talking informally to the Taliban, but now the Islamic group has taken over neighboring Afghanistan, the situation is more tricky, says CFR-scholar Ian Johnson, author of The Souls of China: The Return of Religion After Mao to CNB

CNBC

The relationship between China and the Islamist militant group is “tricky” because Beijing targets what it calls religious extremism among ethnic minority Muslims in Xinjiang, said Ian Johnson of the Council on Foreign Relations…

Xinjiang is home to the minority Uyghur Muslims. The United States, the United Kingdom and the United Nations have accused China of human rights abuses including forced labor and large-scale detentions in Xinjiang. Beijing denies those claims.

“If they have an Islamist political party that is … running a neighboring country, that could be, potentially, a problem for China,” said Johnson, who is the CFR’s Stephen A. Schwarzman senior fellow for China studies.

“At least optically, it seems kind of weird that, on the one hand, Beijing … would be willing to work with [the Taliban]. On the other hand, Islamist groups in Xinjiang are such a problem,” he told CNBC…

China has “laid the groundwork” and made preparations to work with the Taliban, but it’s difficult to predict whether Beijing will formally recognize them as Afghanistan’s government, said Johnson of the CFR, adding that Western countries may not want anyone to affirm the Taliban.

“It may take a little bit of time,” he said. Beijing “might want to see assurances that the Taliban is going to be ‘a normal government’ and not … have massacres and massive killings or something like that before they give them formal diplomatic recognition.”…

For now, unlike many other governments who have moved to evacuate embassy staff from Afghanistan, China’s ambassador remains in Kabul. A spokesman for the Taliban’s political office reportedly said the group would not target diplomatic missions in the country.

It’s smart of China to take this approach, which signals that Beijing is not scared, taking sides or running away from the Taliban, said Johnson.

More at CNBC.

Ian Johnson is a speaker at the China Speakers Bureau. Do you need him at your (online) meeting or conference? Do get in touch or fill in our speakers’ request form.

Are you looking for more political experts at the China Speakers Bureau? Do check out this list.