Representatives of the Chinese mining industry, wanting to gain access to copper and lithium deposits in Afghanistan, paid a visit to the country for negotiations with the Taliban movement, the Financial Times reported.
According to the newspaper, an unnamed official from Kabul and an employee of the Chinese industrial association, negotiations were underway over a copper deposit in the Mes Ainak area, for the development of which the PRC had a license.
In addition, employees of at least one conglomerate in the private sector in China traveled to the provinces of Nangarhar and Laghman in the east of the country to assess the availability of other minerals.
However, FT sources clarified that negotiations between Chinese companies and the Taliban are at an early stage, and there are no guarantees that China will resume mining in Afghanistan.
Two Chinese companies – the world’s largest lithium producer Ganfeng Lithium and Tianqi Lithium – have denied any reported involvement in the alleged trip to Afghanistan.
The Financial Times recalls that lithium and copper are essential resources for various products, including batteries for electric vehicles and smartphones.
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