Political uncertainty clouds China Inc.'s Afghanistan ambitions

India pulls back but Turkish players keen to remain in country under Taliban

An Afghan laborer at a chalk factory on the outskirts of Mazar-i-Sharif: Mining, along with infrastructure, is one area where foreign companies hope to continue operating now that the Taliban has taken power. © AFP/Jiji

CK TAN, SINAN TAVSAN and KIRAN SHARMA, Nikkei staff writers

September 9, 2021 12:27 JST

SHANGHAI/NEW DELHI/ISTANBUL -- Foreign companies active in Afghanistan face prolonged uncertainty as the new Taliban caretaker government grapples with a financial crisis and international reluctance to offer help.

Since the Taliban seized power last month, at least 10 publicly listed companies in China have expressed hope that they will be able to participate in mining or infrastructure projects in Afghanistan, but they linked doing business to political and diplomatic developments.