China would like to integrate Afghanistan into its own foreign trade system, the new Silk Road, also known as the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI). For China, the conditions for Afghanistan are ideal. The soil is said to contain rich deposits of highly coveted rare earth metals as well as copper, gold and iron. Even lithium can be mined here, the basic material for batteries in electric cars and mobile phones. Deposits of natural gas and oil have also been identified. If properly mined, these raw materials could make both countries very rich.
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