Oct 09, 2012
By Mallory Sutika Sipus
On 23 September 2012, several years of progressively strengthening Sino-Afghan relations were cemented when President Hamid Karzai received a visit from Zhou Yongkang, China’s Domestic Security Chief and a member of the Politiburo of the Communist Party. While the visit was unannounced publically, it signified the first visit from a Chinese official in nearly half a century, prompting President Karzai and Youngkang to use the historic visit as an opportunity to sign several economic and security deals. While not all of the details surrounding the agreements have been widely circulated in the week afterward, it is known that the agreements included a Chinese commitment to host and train at least 300 Afghan police officers in China over the next four years. These agreements come on the heels of a 4-year period wherein Sino-Afghan relations have progressively warmed to include several high profile business ventures as well as the announcement of a strategic partnership at the Shanghai Co-operation Organization in June 2012.
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