China Turns to Taliban to Control ETIM: Exclusive on Bid to Woo Guv of Afghanistan’s Badakshan

Wary of the Eastern Turkistan Islamic Movement (ETIM) and continuing with its interest in Afghanistan, China is now wooing the governor of Badakshan, according to a top diplomatic source.

“The Chinese are keen to control the ETIM. They plan to offer a lucrative deal to the governor. As the governor is in Turkey, his deputy is expected to attend the meeting," he added.

The ETIM is a separatist militant outfit in Xinjiang which allegedly has links with radical outfits such as al Qaeda and Islamic State (IS or ISIS).

News18 had previously reported on China’s demand that Taliban crack down on the ETIM. Kabul has, however, so far rebuffed the demand, saying the activists have been “our guests for a very long period of time".

CCTVs, BELT & ROAD INTITIATIVE

Recently, there were reports that Chinese telecom giant Huawei has got sanctions from the top levels of the Haqqani Network in Afghanistan to install CCTV cameras across provinces, which had led to concerns that Beijing is advancing towards profiling Afghans to increase its influence in the country.

According to sources, China managed the deal with the top leadership of the Haqqani Network, a faction of the ruling Taliban. The cameras are going to be installed ostensibly to fight the ISIS, sources added.

Security experts say having Chinese-installed CCTVs in Afghanistan will help Beijing profile the Afghan people as well as protect its own nationals working in the war-torn country on projects.

China has made halting efforts to extend its Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) to Afghanistan that could see construction of railways and bridges, but is chiefly concerned with the country harboring separatists opposed to Chinese control in its northwestern region of Xinjiang.

CPEC

Recently, China, Afghanistan and Pakistan agreed to forge closer economic ties by extending the Beijing-backed China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) to Afghanistan.

The $60-billion CPEC aims to connect Pakistan’s Gwadar port in Balochistan with China’s Xinjiang province.

India has objected to the CPEC as it traverses through Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK).

The CPEC is officially regarded as the flagship project of China’s multi-billion-dollar Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) – the pet project of President Xi Jinping.