Will China Replace the U.S. in Afghanistan? | Opinion Farzad Ramezani Bonesh and Zahra Darbandsari On 5/10/21 at 8:00 AM EDT
After 9/11, with the U.S.-led assault against the Taliban, China s approach in Afghanistan has always been limited cooperation, pursuing a regional consensus to contain the crisis while exploring and acting upon its own security and strategic interests.
Now that the U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan is imminent, the question becomes whether China will fill a vacuum that will be left by departing American forces.
Afghanistan has not been of much geopolitical importance to Beijing. Instead, China s coveted global hegemony, its desired Chinese utopia and its nationalist, historical and imperial nostalgia have become more prominent among Chinese officials. China s foreign policy relations have been more focused on creating and maintaining economic interactions and trade cooperation, not establishing a presence in the Central Asian country. Be
Daily Times
Bilawal holds Imran Khan responsible for dismal economic situation of country
May 10, 2021
KARACHI: PPP chairperson Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari on Monday lambasted Prime Minister Imran Khan and blamed him for the various problems of the country, said a statement issued on Monday.
Bilawal held the prime minister responsible for the dismal economic situation of the country, adding that “every Pakistani is paying the price of Imran Khan’s ‘Change Tsunami ”.
Speaking about PM Imran Khan’s recent trip to Saudi Arabia, Bilawal said it was unfortunate how the same prime minister, who used to talk about not obtaining loans from other countries, was carrying the “begging bowl” with him everywhere in the world.
May 10, 2021
Even though it had been exempted from US economic sanctions, Iran’s Chabahar port project could not take off as various indirect financial drawbacks persisted. Having direct access to the Indian Ocean, the deep-sea port has potential to become a regional trade hub and bring in considerable revenue for Iran.
Yet Chabahar’s fortunes could change soon if China enters the fray. Having finalized a 25-year partnership with Tehran recently, Beijing may invest in the development of the port and help in giving global status.
In an interview with the Tehran Times April 27, Behrouz Aghaei, director general of the Ports and Maritime Department for Iran’s Sistan-Baluchestan province, where Chabahar is located, described a much broader vision for the project, calling it the “Gate of Nations.”
Daily Times
Bilawal Bhutto says PTI leader has extensive experience in soliciting alms, donations
Pakistan People’s Party Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari has asked Prime Minister Imran Khan to explain to the public why his government is compelled to repay Saudi Arabia’s three billion dollars loan, and what it is going to cost the nation for taking a commercial loan from China to clear the Saudi soft loan.
In a statement, he said that Imran Khan had promised to break Pakistan free from the debt trap, but since coming to power he has buried Pakistan under loans, taking the ‘begging bowl’ everywhere he goes. “He (Imran Khan) has extensive experience in soliciting alms and donations, but countries do not, cannot, and should not run on donations,” he stated.