China’s Rising Power and Its Impact on Sino-Afghan Relations: An Analysis of China’s Foreign Policy towards Afghanistan (2001-2022)

Abstract

This research investigates China’s foreign policy towards Afghanistan from 2001 to 2022, examining how China's rise as a global power has influenced its strategy. The study addresses the question: How has China’s ascent shaped its policy towards Afghanistan, and what are the key drivers behind this approach? Through qualitative analysis of official statements, policy papers, and academic sources, the research explores economic involvement, infrastructure development, diplomatic initiatives, security concerns, and geopolitical interests. Findings suggest that China's policy is driven by both economic and security imperatives. Its proximity to Afghanistan and interest in the region's resources reflect liberalist motivations, while concerns about terrorism and extremism align with realist principles. Additionally, the constructivist perspective reveals that China’s evolving identity as a responsible global power and regional stabilizer plays a crucial role. This study offers insights into the broader implications of China’s rise and potential future trajectories in Sino-Afghan relations.

Keywords

• China rising power
• Sino-Afghan relationship
• foreign policy
• Economic Involvement
• Security Considerations

References

1. Adam, Saud, and Ahmad Azhar. 2018. "China's Engagement in Afghanistan: Implications for the Region." Pluto Journals 15 (1): 127-138.
2. Adnot M., Dee T., Katz V., Wyckoff J. 2016. "Teacher turnover, teacher quality, and student achievement in DCPS ." NBER Working Paper Chicago, IL: NBER No. 21922. 50-64.
3. Ahamd, N, and M Suliman. 2021. "The effect of work safety on organizational social sustainability improvement in the healthcare sector: The case of a public sector hospital in Pakistan." International Journal of Environmental Reserch and Public Health 18, 66-72.
4. Ahmad, S., and K. Shahzad. 2011. "HRM and employee performance: A case of university teachers of Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) in Pakistan." journal of Business Management 5, 5249–5253.
5. Alastair , I. Johnston. 2003. "“Is China a Status Quo Power?" International Security.
6. Ali , Saleem, and Shroder John . 2011. Afghanistan’s Mineral Fortune: Multinational Influence and Development in a Post-War Economy. University of Vermont, 15-16.
7. Argyle , M. 1989. The social Psychology of work, 2nd edn. Penguin : Harmondsworth.
8. Arshad , M.A, D Arshad, and N Zakaria. 2023. "Mediating role of wellbeing among organizational virtuousness, emotional intelligence and job performance in post-pandemic COVID-19." Front. Psychol. 1105895.

9. Avinash , Paliwal. 2011. "“Silent Game: China’s Engagement in Afghanistan”." Observer Research Foundation (31): p.3.
10. Barma, N, and E Ratner. 2006. "China’s Illiberal Challenge: The real threat posed by China isn’t economic or military –it’s ideological, Democracy." Journal of Ideas Issue # 2.
11. Beckley , Michael. 2020. Unrivaled: Why America Will Remain the World's Sole Superpower. Cornell University Press.
12. Blanchard , Jean-Marc F. 2018. "China's Maritime Silk Road Initiative and South Asia: A Political Economic Analysis of its Purposes, Perils, and Promise." Asian Affairs 468-482.
13. Brad , Glosserman. 2004. “China’s smile diplomacy,”. Hong Kong: South China Morning Post.
14. Brayfield, A, and W Crockett. 1955. "Employee Attitudes and Employee Performance." Psychological Bulletin 396-424.
15. Brayfield, A.H, and H.F Rothe. 1951. "an index of job satisfaction." journal of Applied Psychology 307-311.
16. Brian James. 2013. "China’s Interests In Afghanistan: Current." Naval Postgraduate School Monterey, CA 93943-5000 2-52.
17. Bruce , E, and Schertzer. 2016. "Job Satisfaction and Gender Differences: A Review of Existing Literature." Gender Studies Journal 123-137.
18. Bukhari, Syed Waqas Haider. 2012. The Role of China in Economic Stabilisation and Reconstruction of Afghanistan. Margalla Papers.
19. Chiang, C.F., and T.S. Hsieh. 2012. "The impacts of perceived organizational support and psychological empowerment on job performance: The mediating effects of organizational citizenship behavior. ." International Journal of Hosp Management 31, 180–190.
20. Council, Information Office of the State. 2003. Beijing: Information Office of the State Council,. Beijing: Information Office of the State Council,.
21. Cronbach , L. 1951. "coefficeinet alpha and the internal structure of tests." psychometrika springer science and business media LLC 297-334.
22. Diamantidis, A.D., and P. Chatzoglou. 2019. "Factors affecting employee performance: An empirical approach." International Journal of Product Performnce Management 68, 171–193.
23. Dirk van , der Kley. 2014. China’s foreign policy in Afghanistan (June).
24. Dirk, van, and Kley der . 2014. China’s foreign policy in Afghanistan. Lowy Institute.
25. Eeonomy, Elizabeth C. 2018. The Third Revolution: Xi Jinping and the New Chinese State. oxford: oxford university press.
26. Erica, Downs. 2012. "China Buys into Afghanistan." The Johns Hopkins University Press 32 (2): 65-84.
27. Freedman, D, R Pisani, and R Purves. 2007. Statistics (international student edition). Pisani: R. Purves.
28. Friedman, E. 2010. Power transition theory: A challenge to the peaceful rise of world power China. London: Routledge.
29. Garver, J. 2016. China and Afghanistan: Weakening a Tangled State. Brookings Institution.
30. Gerald , Segal. 1981. "China and Afghanistan." Asian Survey 21 (11): 1158-1174.
31. Glaser, C. 2011. "Will China‟s rise lead to war." Foreign Affairs 80-91.
32. Graham , Bowley, and Rosenberg Matthew . 2012. Mining Contract Details Disclosed in Afghanistan. New York Tim. http://www.nytimes.com/2012/10/15/world/asia/afghan-minister-disclosesdetails-of-mining-contracts.html.
33. Greg , Kleponis. 2013. China’s Role in the Stabilization of Afghanistan. Strategic Studies Institute.
34. Hamdard, Niaz Mohammad. 2022. "Afghan-China Relations And Economic Development Of Afghanistan." International Journal of Contemporary Issues in Social Sciences 1 (1).
35. Hersey, paul, and Kenneth H Blanchard . 1977. Management of Organizational Behaviour: Utilizing Human Resources . Prentice Hall.
36. Herzberg , F.I. 1987. "One more time: How do you motivate employees?" Harvard Business Review 109-120.
37. Holsti, K. J. 1970. "National Role Conceptions in the Study of Foreign Policy." International Studies Quarterly 233–309.
38. Ikenberry, G.J. 2008. "The rise of China and the future of the West: Can the liberal system survive." Foreign Affairs 23-37. 2003. Information Office of the State Council of the People's Republic of China, White Paper on China's Policy on Mineral Resources. white paper, Beijing: Information Office of the State Council. Accessed 12 23, 2003. https://www.chinadaily.com.cn/en/doc/2003-12/23/content_292803.htm.
39. James , Millward. 2004. Violent Separatism in Xinjiang: A Critical Assessment. Washington, DC: East-West Center.
40. James , R. Yeager. 2013. "The Aynak Copper Tender: Implications for Afghanistan and the West." Civil-Military Fusion cell 7-8. Accessed August 31, 2013. https://www.cimicweb.org/cmo/Afghanistan/Crisis%20Documents/Economic%20Stabilization/Recent%20Publications/Aynak-Copper-Tender-Implications.pdf; Benard and Sugarman, “Afghanistan’s Copper Conundrum,” 2 Caucus International 153 (2012).
41. Jeff , Reeves. 2010. "Does China’s Afghan Foreign Policy Constitute a Grand Strategy?" Defense Concepts 5 (4): 30-31.
42. Jeffrey, I., and M.H. Dinata. 2017. "The Effect of Work Motivation, Work Dicipline, and Competence on Employee Performance. ." International Journal of Currrnt Advance Reserch 6, 7301–7307.
43. Jiang , Ye. 2002. "Will China be a Threat to Its neighbors and the World in the Twenty First Century?" Ritsumeikan University Annual Review of International Studies ISSN 1347-8214. Vol. 1, pp 63.
44. John, S Hassard. 2012. "Rethinking the Hawthorne Studies: The Western Electric research in its social, political and historical context." Human Relations 1431-1461.
45. Jufrizen, J. 2021. "Effect of Moderation of Work Motivation on the Influence of Organizational Culture on Organizational Commitment and Employee Performance." International Journal of Business Economic 2, 86–98.
46. Kem, s. 2011. Chinese harmonious world policy and its implication on southest Asia. China.
47. Kem, S. 2011. Chinese harmonious world policy and its implications on Southeast Asia. working paper , Cambodian Institute for Cooperation and Peace.
48. Kem, S. 2011. "Chinese harmonious world policy and its implications on Southeast Asia." Cambodian Institute for Cooperation and Peace Working Paper 43.
49. Khahro , S.H, T.H Ali , F Siddiqui , and A.R Khoso. 2016. "Critical success factors affecting job satisfaction in construction projects: A case of Pakistani workers." Int. J. Civ. Eng. Technol. 507-513.
50. Khan, Raja Muhammad. 2015. "China's Economic and Strategic Interests in Afghanistan." FWU Journal of Social Sciences 1 (1).
51. Kimkong, H. 2017. "the rise of China: Global threat or internatioanl pease?" The University of Cambodia Press (the University Cambodian press) 1 (1): 1-18.
52. Kumar, Ranjit. 2011. Reserch Methodology a step-by-step guide for beginners. London: SAGE publications Ltd. Lary, D. 2008. The Chinese state at the borders. University of British Columbia Press.
53. Locke , Edwin A. 1976. The Nature and Causes of Job Satisfaction. Chicago: Rand McNally.
54. Locke, E. A, and L Grunberg . 1980. "Job Satisfaction and Its Implications for Job Performance. ." International Journal of Management Reviews 1-24.
55. Mahalawat, V., and B. Sharma. 2019. "Study of Factors Affecting Employee Satisfaction and Their Impact on the Organization. ." Journal of Xi’an University Archit Technol 11, 939–945.
56. Martin I, Wayne. 2008. China’s War on Terrorism: Counter-insurgency, Politics, and Internal Security. New York: Routledge, 35-48.
57. Mearsheimer, John J. 2019. The Great Delusion: Liberal Dreams and International Realities. Yale University Press.
58. Michael , Bristow. 2009. Many ‘Missing’ after China Riots. BBC News. http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/8317644.stm.
59. Michael , Clarke. 2016. "‘One Belt, One Road’ and China’s emerging Afghanistan dilemma." Australian Journal of International Affairs 70 (5): 563-579.
60. Milka , Pasulu, Irfan Andi , Pahmi, Alim Andi , and Thalib Lenny . 2023. "The Effect of Job Satisfaction and Work Motivation on Employee Performance through Work Discipline at the Regional Secretariat of East Luwu Regency, Indonesia." Account and Financial Management Journal 3168-3180.
61. Ministry of Mine of Afghanistan. 2013. "Afghanistan Ministry of Mines." Accessed October 28, 2013. http://mom.gov.af/Content/files/List%20of%20Companies%20for%20Aynak.pdf.
62. Munadi , Sayed Mahdi. 2017. Ministry of Foreign Affairs. https://archivos.juridicas.unam.mx/ www/ bjv/ libros/12/5550/23.
63. Nicklas , Norling. 2008. The Emerging China-Afghanistan Relationship. Accessed 12 12, 2008. http://www.cacianalyst.org/?q=node/4858.
64. Rafaello , Pantucci, and Petersen Alexandros . 2012. "Shifts in Beijing’s Afghan Policy: A View from the Ground." China Brief 12 (21). http://www.jamestown.org/programs/chinabrief/single/?tx_ttnews[tt_news]=40070&tx_ttnews[backPid]=25&cHash=612a73f86de1415ea70c005ba7a73510#.UjkSTbzFbu0.
65. Rivai, V, and E. J Sagala. 2014. Manajemen Sumber Daya Manusia Untuk Perusahaan: Dari Teori Ke Praktik (3rd ed.). Rajawali Pers.
66. Rolland, Nadege. 2019. A Concise Guide to the Belt and Road Initiative. National Bureau of Asian Research (NBR).
67. Ross , R S. 2015. East Asia in transition: Toward a new regional order. New York: Routledge.
68. Russett , Bruce. 1993. Grasping the Democratic Peace. Princeton: Princeton University Press.
69. Shafei , Moiz Hali, Shukui Tan , and Iqbal Sumera. 2015. "One Belt and One Road: Impact on China-Pakistan Economic Corridor." journal of strategic studies 147-164.
70. Shambaugh, David. 2020. China and the World: A History Since 1949. Oxford University Press.
71. Shen-Yu , Dai. 1966. "China and Afghanistan." The China Quarterly 25: 213-221.
72. Siddiqui, F, and TH Siddiqui. 2016. "Critical success factors affecting job satisfacation in construction projects: A case of Pakistani workers." International Journal Civil Engenring Technology 7, 507-513.
73. Small, Andrew. 2015. The China-Pakistan Axis: Asia's New Geopolitics. Oxford University Press.
74. Soong-Bum , Ahn. 2001. "China as Number One." Current History pp. 250-256. p 252.
75. Sørensen, G. 2019. After the Liberal World Order: Globalization, Authoritarianism, and the Future of International Order. Palgrave Macmillan.
76. Toby , Dodg, and Redman Nicholas . 2011. Redman, Afghanistan to 2015 and Beyond. Routledge Press.
77. Togia, A, E Vlachou, and V Koutras . 2019. "Job Satisfaction Among University Librarians in Greece: An Employee Satisfaction Checklist Approach." Library Management 178-185.
78. Ullah, Z, M.A.B.A Sulaiman , S.B Ali , N Ahmad, M Scholz, and H Han. 2021. "The effect of work safety on organizational social sustainability improvement in the healthcare sector: The case of a public sector hospital in Pakistan." Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 6672.
79. Vroom , V. H, and E. L Deci. 1964. "The relationship between productivity and job satisfaction. ." Journal of Applied Psychology 211-217.
80. Waltz Kenneth, Kenneth. 2000. "Structural Realism after the Cold War”." International Security Vol. 25, No. 1. Wang , Jisi. 2011. "China’s Search for a Grand Strategy: A Rising Great Power Finds Its Way." Foreign Affairs 68-79.
81. Wendt , A. 1992. "Anarchy is what states make of it: The social construction of power politics." International Organization 391-425.
82. Wright , T.A, R Cropanzano , and D.G Bonett . 2007. "The moderating role of employee positive well being on the relation between job satisfaction and job performance." J. Occup. Health Psychol 93-104.
83. Xinhua. 2012. China.Org.cn. Accessed january 31, 2012. http://www.china.org.cn/world/2012-01/31/content_24517378.htm. —. 2017. xinhuanet. Accessed 01 09, 2017. http://www.xinhuanet.com//english/2017-01/09/c_135964706.htm.
84. Yan , Wei. 2018. "The Cooperation Between China and Afghanistan Under the “Belt and Road Initiative”." International Relations and Diplomacy, 6 (6): 359-368.
85. Ye , J. 2002. "Will China be a threat to its neighbors and the world in the twenty first century?" Ritsumeikan University Annual Review of International Studies 57.
86. Yirenkyi-Fianko, A.B, and N Chileshe . 2012. "Job Satisfaction of Professionals Within the Ghanaian construction industry." In Proceedings of the 28th Annual Association of Researchers in Construction Management (ARCOM). Edinburgh, UK. 589-599.
87. Zhang , A, and J. P Chen. 2012. "The five principles of co-existence and China―Afghan relations in the 1950s." South Asia Studies 3: 135-160.
88. Zhang , Li. 2010. "zhongguo dui afuhanjushi wending de zuoyongtantao Chinas role in the stability of Afghanistan." South Asian Studies Quarterly (4).
89. Zhao , Hong. 2013. "CHINA'S AFGHAN POLICY: THE FORMING OF THE "March WEST" STRATEGY?" Institute for National Security Strategy 27 (2): 1-29.
90. Zhao , Huasheng. 2012. "China and Afghanistan: China’s Interests, Stances and Perspectives." Center for Strategic & International Studies P.5.