Can China capture Bagram Airbase of Afghanistan?
Once again, Afghanistan has gone under the dark rule of the Taliban. China, Russia, Pakistan, and the main player of the whole game, America, are continuously trying to take out their own benefit and interest from the whole situation. Bagram Airbase is a strategically important location. America had control for 20 years on this airbase.
Why Bagram Airbase?
Bagram is just only 40 km away from the capital city of Afghanistan, which is Kabul. It is also near the India and China border.
Consequently, its importance has been increased.
After being left alone by America, the people of Afghanistan, and the airbase are now left alone for the Taliban’s black and terrible intentions. Through Bagram Airbase, China wants to keep an eye on India and fulfill its intention to siege India from all sides.
- In the western side of India, it can try to siege through CPEC (China-Pakistan Economic Corridor), as it passes through disputed Territory POK (Pakistan occupied Kashmir).
- From the eastern side, it wants to trap Bangladesh through its Debt trap as Bangladesh is continuously receiving Aid And Debt.
- On the southern side, China wants to make a port in Sri Lanka.
- And finally, on the Northern side, China is trying to make its position better as soldiers of the People’s Liberation Army (military of China) cannot weather the conditions of the great Himalayas.
Hence Bagram airbase becomes essential for China.
Why is China helping the Taliban?
Afghanistan is full of rare elements like Lithium, which are essential for electric vehicles and mobile phone batteries. The rare earth elements of Afghanistan are estimated at around USD 3 trillion. China wants to reserve its own rare earth elements as China is the largest reservoir of rare earth elements (REE).
Also, China is a major importer of REE. It is aggressively using resources to fulfill the requirements of its industries and is ensuring its own economic growth. The point is, China helps the Taliban to control Afghanistan, and in return Taliban welcomes China in Afghanistan, to use its REE.
The Bagram airbase will also help to suppress the voice of people in Afghanistan. China has offered USD 31 million aid to the Talibans to make and run the interim government. Also, the Taliban has expressed its desire to join China’s Belt and Road Initiative. China is aggressively trying to capture the Airbase and take advantage of the gap created by America. China and Pakistan are helping the Taliban to establish its dark rule in Afghanistan so that they can wreak havoc for India and its security.
According to sources, China was trying till recent times to take over the Bagram air force station. The Taliban may soon hand over the airbase to china or Pakistan, which can have serious security implications for India in the upcoming times. It has also come to light that a team consisting of a few aeronautical engineers of the Pakistan air force are inspecting all the five air bases of Afghanistan, including Kandahar, Bagram, and Kabul. The other two airbases, Kotli and Rawalkot, are almost 100 kilometers from Srinagar.
Sources imply that the Chinese military is currently busy conducting a study regarding the feasibility of sending Chinese troops, workers, and other staff associated with its foreign economic investment program, commonly known as the belt and road initiative.
However, a Chinese spokesperson, Wang Wenbin, has already denied the news that Beijing will have a deal with the Taliban to hand over the former U.S. base in Afghanistan. Although Wenbin denies the news on all grounds, China shares a border with Afghanistan and is surely cooking up plans with the Taliban.
