China's mining company Metallurgical Corp of China (MCC) will open an office in Afghanistan's capital Kabul by the end of this month, local media reported citing officials as saying on Saturday.
Afghanistan possesses a vast amount of intact mines and natural resources, including lithium reserves, as well as other valuable resources.
China is eyeing nearly USD 1 trillion worth of untapped mineral deposits in Afghanistan after the Taliban takeover of the war-torn country.
Five Chinese companies obtained special visas and arrived in Afghanistan last year in November to conduct on-site inspections of potential lithium projects.
Esmatullah Burhan, a spokesperson for the Ministry of Mines and Petroleum, said that the leadership of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan (IEA) has assessed the agreement on Mes Aynak copper project and has found no problems, Ariana News reproted.
Burhan said that mining at Mes Aynak in Logar province will begin soon.
Mes Aynak site holds 11.08 million tonnes of copper, according to MCC estimates.
Meanwhile, Afghan authorities said that China is interested in Afghanistan's mining sector more than any other country, Ariana News reported.
The Taliban took over Afghanistan after entering Kabul in August 2021, leading to the collapse of the Ashraf Ghani led government and mass evacuations.
For most of the 19th century, the Russian and British empires contended over Afghanistan in what was known as the Great Game. The geopolitical competition recognised the strategic position of Afghanistan, and its potential to influence South Asia.
(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)
Taliban Suspends Polio Vaccination In Afghanistan Despite Rise In Cases Hallway Cricket, Gym Sessions: What Afghanistan, New Zealand Stars Did Amid Test Venue Fiasco 8 Occasions When 'Greater Noida' Case Happened In Test Cricket 9 Dead, 2,800 Hurt As Pagers Explode Across Lebanon, Hezbollah Blames Israel 'Pager Bombs' Target Hezbollah In Lebanon. What We Know So Far - 5 Points IndiGo Flight Tailstrike Leaves Huge Dent During Take-Off From Delhi Airport PM Modi To Visit US For Quad Summit, Attend UN Assembly From September 21-24 Ground Report: Central Forces' Canteens Open To Public In Violence-Hit Manipur Air India To Give $400 Million Makeover To Over Half Of Its Fleet Track Latest News Live on NDTV.com and get news updates from India and around the world.