More Chinese food aid bound for distressed Afghanistan from Xinjiang, 23 million Afghans have no enough food,US freezes US$9 billion in Afghan assets

[beijingwalker]

More Chinese food aid bound for distressed Afghanistan from Xinjiang, 23 million Afghans have no enough food,US freezes US$9 billion in Afghan assets

• A train loaded with wheat sugar and cooking oil on its way and another delivery will follow, Chinese ambassador says
• More than 23 million people do not have enough food, according to some estimates

Published: 9:19pm, 1 Feb, 2022

Train with around 500 tonnes of wheat, sugar, cooking oil and potato processing equipment prepares to leave Xinjiang for Afghanistan. Photo: Twitter

China has sent a new batch of food supplies to Afghanistan as the country struggles with an economic and humanitarian crisis.

China’s ambassador to Kabul Wang Yu said on Twitter on Sunday that a train loaded with 500 tonnes of wheat, sugar, cooking oil and potato processing equipment had left Xinjiang, and another train carrying wheat would leave early this month.

Earlier, China trucked in 848 tonnes of rice and wheat to southern Kandahar and Helmand provinces and the Western Farah and Ghar provinces, state news agency Xinhua reported.

Trucks in Kabul prepare to deliver Chinese aid to four provinces on Saturday. Photo: Xinhua

Diplomatic observers said the aid would help build ties with the Taliban.

The Taliban, which seized power in August following the withdrawal of American troops, is facing a series of challenges in rebuilding the country.

The winter has intensified the crisis, with reports that nearly 23 million people do not have enough food. The United States has also frozen around US$9 billion in Afghan assets.

This week, China sent a second batch of winter supplies, including 70,000 blankets and more than 40,000 down coats.

Chinese and Afghan officials also announced a project to build a mosque and two wells in Kabul.

In September, Beijing announced it would donate 200 million yuan (US$31 million) in aid, including food and coronavirus vaccines. In November China also agreed a deal to import pine nuts, one of the country’s most important crops.

Beijing has not officially recognised the Taliban government and has said it will not be the first to do so, but it is stepping up its engagement with the group.

The Taliban has also held talks with senior US and European officials in the Norwegian capital Oslo in the last week.

More Chinese food aid bound for distressed Afghanistan

A train loaded with wheat sugar and cooking oil on its way and another delivery will follow, Chinese ambassador says.

www.scmp.com

 

[MH.Yang]

Does Afghanistan have no other goods to export except pine nuts now?

 

[beijingwalker]

$9 billion is enought to help Afghans to stave off hunger and get over this winter, It's Afghanistan's money and US should unfreeze them ASAP.

 

[TheSolution]

$9 billion is enought to help Afghans to stave off hunger and get over this winter, It's Afghanistan's money and US should unfreeze them ASAP.

Should give them food imports directly and cut that from the tab, if possible.

Just to make sure it's not spent on funding terrorism and actually on their people

 

[beijingwalker]

Should give them food imports directly and cut that from the tab, if possible.

Just to make sure it's not spent on funding terrorism and actually on their people

Is US willing to do this? Afghan people are dying from hunger now.

Should give them food imports directly and cut that from the tab, if possible.

Just to make sure it's not spent on funding terrorism and actually on their people

Probably US won't do it, they will claim that the food will be sold by Afghan government and the money will be channelled to "sponsoring terrorism". It's Afghan people's money, US has no right to keep it.

 

[SaadH]

Should give them food imports directly and cut that from the tab, if possible.

Just to make sure it's not spent on funding terrorism and actually on their people

Yup, a similar clause exists in all the CPEC related contracts...

 

[TheSolution]

Yup, a similar clause exists in all the CPEC related contracts...

What does it read?

Overall I don't think it makes a big difference, it's making sure the money is spent on the right development, and could maybe stop the corrupt from laundering some too

 

[Battlion25]

I am not sure who is writing this and where they get this repeated narrative from cuz Afghanistan is not in hunger the economy is flowing normal as previously and in fact increased since regime change which is a surprise.. I Was not hearing hunger crisis but the question is why now cause nothing has change in economy flow... Oh I see uncle sam wants to claim indirectly he was feeding this country but that is not the case they only poured money on corrupt officials the remaining 40m were self-suffient

 

[Tshering22]

It is really sad to see an entire country on the brink of hunger. Kudos to China for sending out humanitarian aid. This entire episode has been a fiasco. Shoddy withdrawal, no planning for contingencies and no information.

 

[Maula Jatt]

Does Afghanistan have no other goods to export except pine nuts now?

Afghanistan is a vast, arid, dry, mountainous area with very little industry either
you are expecting too much from Afghanistan (rich in natural resources though)