By Invitation

Will China be better off as the US quits Afghanistan?

In the short term, Beijing has insulated itself against all direct threats but questions remain as to how strong that insulation is.

Chinese border police officers patrol the Wakhan Corridor in Tashkurgan Tajik Autonomous County in Xinjiang on Oct 7, 2020. PHOTO: REUTERS
New: Gift this subscriber-only story to your friends and family

China is enjoying the United States' precipitous withdrawal from Afghanistan. From Beijing's perspective, America's abrupt dash for the exit as the conflict continues to rage reinforces the argument that the US is an erratic and unreliable player on the world stage.

This glee, however, should be tempered by the fact that the trouble that is likely to follow America's withdrawal is going to cause Beijing more trouble than the seemingly never-ending conflict which it has been able to observe from the sidelines.

Already a subscriber? 

Read the full story and more at $9.90/month

Get exclusive reports and insights with more than 500 subscriber-only articles every month

Unlock these benefits

  • All subscriber-only content on ST app and straitstimes.com

  • Easy access any time via ST app on 1 mobile device

  • E-paper with 2-week archive so you won't miss out on content that matters to you

Join ST's Telegram channel and get the latest breaking news delivered to you.