Bagram airfield is perhaps the single-most prominent symbol of the 20-year U.S. military presence in Afghanistan.
This base was abandoned by the Joe Biden Administration in July by shutting off the electricity and slipped away at night without notifying the base’s Afghan commander who discovered that the Americans’ had secretly departed two hours ago.
Bagram Air Base is only 30 miles from the north of Kabul and after the Americans left, The Taliban swiftly took control of the Air Base and was able to gain access to American military equipment, uniforms, rations, and even sports drinks.
Recently, there are reports that China may take over the abandoned base.
Remembering last July 28, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi welcomed a group from the Taliban, including its co-founder Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar, during a trip to China and reportedly Beijing maintained contact and communication with the Taliban as it took over the country last month. This was confirmed by Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying said at an Aug. 16 news conference.
“The Afghan Taliban said on multiple occasions that it hopes to grow sound relations with China, looks forward to China’s participation in Afghanistan’s reconstruction and development and will never allow any force to use the Afghan territory to engage in acts detrimental to China,” Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying said.
US News and World Report also write up a statement:
China is considering deploying military personnel and economic development officials to Bagram airfield, perhaps the single-most prominent symbol of the 20-year U.S. military presence in Afghanistan.
The Chinese military is currently conducting a feasibility study about the effect of sending workers, soldiers and other staff related to its foreign economic investment program known as the Belt and Road Initiative in the coming years to Bagram, according to a source briefed on the study by Chinese military officials, who spoke to U.S. News on the condition of anonymity.
A spokesman for the Chinese Foreign Ministry on Tuesday issued a carefully crafted denial of plans for an imminent takeover of the military airfield roughly an hour from Kabul, first established by the Soviets during their own occupation in Afghanistan and which at the height of the U.S. military presence there was its busiest in the world.
Sources: The Gateway Pundit, US News and World Report
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