Afghanistan forms backdrop to China leader Xi Jinping's visit to Central Asian nations

Published January 13, 2015

The Chinese president visits Central Asia this week amid concerns that a U.S. troop withdrawal from Afghanistan could mean a destabilizing exodus of foreign radical fighters from the war zone to homelands closer to China's borders.

With the pullout deadline just 16 months away, China's leaders share widespread concerns that Kabul's own forces won't be able to maintain security or that foreign fighters who were focused on fighting U.S. troops will now head elsewhere, including other fragile Central Asian nations or even northwestern China.

Xi Jinping's trip, starting Tuesday, also is seen as an attempt to shore up China's trade and relationships with governments in the region, extending Beijing's influence in an area traditionally dominated by Russia.

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https://www.foxnews.com/world/afghanistan-forms-backdrop-to-china-leader-xi-jinpings-visit-to-central-asian-nations