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Afghanistan’s new President Ashraf Ghani Ahmadzai will leave for China today on his first diplomatic trip since gaining office.
Mr Ahmadzai’s only foreign trip so far has been to Mecca on a pilgrimage.
The timing of the president’s visit to Beijing, two days after the United States and Britain ended their 13-year occupation of the country, signals a determination to seek allies beyond the Washington-led alliance that has stood behind Afghan governments since the invasion.
Afghanistan’s economy has been ruined by years of war and Mr Ahmadzai hopes to secure Chinese investment in infrastructure and industry to reverse a spiral of decline.
He believes his country’s vast reserves of copper, iron ore, silver, gold, coal and gems could hold the key to reviving the economy if investment can be secured in the mining industry on the model followed by China in many African countries.
