This week’s Belt and Road Initiative Forum kicked off under a darkening economic outlook for China.
It marks the third forum for a major Chinese infrastructure project.
Leaders from the Taliban, Russia, and Pakistan will appear at the summit, along with over 130 total countries.
The Taliban is looking to convince Beijing to build a road connecting China and northern Afghanistan.
According to a text from the Taliban’s spokesman to Reuters, a senior official will join the meetings.
Worth noting, that no government has officially acknowledged the Taliban since it replaced the Afghanistan government two years ago.
“China is picking up all of the heavily sanctioned countries, North Korea, Iran, Afghanistan, China is the only one reaching out to them,” Antonio Graceffo, China Economic Analyst, said.
China is the first country to appoint an ambassador to Kabul since the Taliban took power. And has increased business cooperation with Afghanistan.
China’s expanding presence in the country has sparked concerns in the West.