China’s role in Afghanistan and strategy to protect interests abroad

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After America’s messy exit from Afghanistan, many see China playing a more prominent role. With the Taliban once again taking power in Kabul, Beijing’s political, economic, and security interests in its Central Asian neighbor may expand in the coming years, but there remain key challenges to overcome.

This webinar will unpack China’s motivations and hesitancies in Afghanistan, explore the evolution of Beijing’s strategy to protecting its interests abroad, and weigh how these changes impact the European Union’s foreign and security policy interests. 

Speakers
Andrea Ghiselli, Assistant Professor, School of International Relations and Public Affairs, Fudan University; Head of Research (ChinaMed Project), TOChina Hub
Niva Yau, Resident Researcher, OSCE Academy in Bishkek, and fellow, Foreign Policy Research Institute 
Luke Patey, Senior Researcher, DIIS 

Programme
10.00-10.10   Introduction, Luke Patey
10.10-10.25   Protecting China’s Overseas Interests, Andrea Ghiselli
10.25-10.40   China’s Role and Interests in Afghanistan, Niva Yau
10.40-11.00   Q&A

About the speakers   
Dr. Andrea Ghiselli is an assistant professor in the School of International Relations and Public Affairs, Fudan University. He is author of Protecting China’s Interests Overseas: Securitization and Foreign Policy published by Oxford University Press. He is also the Head of Research of the ChinaMed Project, a research project on China’s role in the wider Mediterranean region sponsored by the University of Torino’s TOChina Hub. Andrea’s research interests include Chinese foreign policy, China-Middle East relations, and foreign policy analysis. His research on Chinese foreign policy has been published in peer-reviewed journals like the China Quarterly, the Journal of Strategic Studies, the Journal of Contemporary China, and Armed Forces & Society. He recently authored an article for War on the Rocks on China’s strategy to protect overseas interests. 

Niva Yau is a resident researcher at the OSCE Academy in Bishkek and a Fellow at the Eurasia Program of the Foreign Policy Research Institute in Philadelphia. Her work focuses on China’s foreign policy, trade and security in its western neighbourhood, including Central Asia and Afghanistan. She has conducted a number of commissioned research pieces and briefed officials on China affairs in Central Asia, concerning security engagement, private security companies, Belt and Road Initiative, governance export, influence campaigns, renewable investments in Central Asia, and more. Read some of her work on China and Afghanistan at The Diplomat.

Practical information
The webinar will be held in English. Participation is free of charge, but registration is required.
The recording will be available on this page the following day.

Recorded on Thursday 2 September 2021, 10.00-11.00