Afghan Foreign Minister Zalmay Rasoul paid a state visit to China last week, highlighting the two countries' growing ties. In an email interview, Nicklas Norling, a research fellow at the Central Asia-Caucasus Institute and the Silk Road Studies Program, discussed China-Afghanistan relations.
WPR: What is the history of relations between China and Afghanistan?
Nicklas Norling: There have been few links between China and Afghanistan throughout the past century, with Beijing only very recently showing a real interest in engagement. Even though China and Afghanistan share a short border, China's diplomatic, economic and other ties have hitherto been more significant with its other neighbors in the east, most notably Pakistan. Even Soviet and post-Soviet Central Asia has been a greater priority for Chinese engagement, starting with the Gorbachev period. Since Sept. 11, however, both China and Afghanistan share many common interests, especially in trade and in energy and mineral exploration.