John Pomfret

Washington Post Service Thursday, September 13, 2001

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Summary:

"...China has signed a memorandum of understanding for economic and technical cooperation with Kabul..."

"(reported) "... from Afghanistan and Pakistan..."

"...The agreement was reported Tuesday, the same day terrorists hijacked four planes in the United States and drove them into the World Trade Center and the Pentagon..."

RVR Comment - Interesting Timing!!!!!

"...the most substantial part of a series of contacts that Beijing has had with Afghanistan over the last two years...."

"... Of all non-Muslim countries, Beijing now has the best relationship with the isolated regime in Kabul in the world..."

"...the contacts have disturbed high-ranking officials from the West and some of China's central Asian neighbors.."

".... said they worried that Beijing was trying to curry favor with Kabul at the same time it made a public show of opposing terrorism which seemed to be supported by Afghanistan..."

"... China has helped form the Shanghai Cooperative Organization that joins Russia and three central Asian nations in a loose grouping..."

"... China is quietly dealing with the Taleban as part of an effort to convince its officials to close Afghan-based camps that are used to train Muslim

"...China has dangled the prospect of providing Afghanistan with much needed help on its infrastructure and economic development.."

"....two Chinese telecommunications firms, Huawei Technologies and ZTE, signed contracts to provide limited phone service for Kabul and Kandahar, near where the suspected terrorist Osama bin Laden is supposedly based..."

"...Huawei as one Chinese firm that was involved in helping Iraq bolster its air defenses by selling it communications equipment.."

"...Chinese engineers have also held negotiations with Taleban officials about renovating an American-built power station, ..."

"...political contacts between China and the Taleban government have grown...."