China's business in Afghanistan

[padren]

I found this to be rather interesting, about Chinese ventures in Afghanistan:

 

http://worldblog.msnbc.msn.com/archive/2009/10/14/2098654.aspx

 

Discovered in 1974 but virtually dormant since the start of the Soviet War in 1979, the Aynak mine is believed to contain the world’s second-largest untapped copper deposits and could propel Afghanistan into the ranks of the world’s top 15 copper producers.

 

After wooing Afghan officials from as early as 2001, a Chinese mainland joint venture finally won the rights in 2007 to develop the site over 30 years. So far, it has sunk more than $4 billion into the project.

 

It talks a lot about the "Global Chessboard" of influence between the West and China, and questions if the US lost out or is even getting short changed for our efforts over there. One part I found pretty telling though is how people there view the project:

 

And in contrast to many Chinese investments on the African continent, where Chinese labor is typically brought in, most of the jobs from the Aynak copper mine project are designed to go to the Afghan people.

 

Under the contract terms, initially some of the workers, including the mine technicians, will be Chinese, but over time training will be provided to the Afghan workers so they can take over more skilled jobs.

 

"The instability in our country today is due to joblessness. Poverty is the problem," said Stanikzai as he warmed to his theme one afternoon in the spartan comfort of his home in central Kabul. "President Obama should not make a decision to send more troops to Afghanistan. If the U.S. wants to help, it needs to provide more jobs or invite foreign investment into our country."

 

It strikes me as funny that it looks like "Good Cop/Bad Cop" with China as the Good Cop - doesn't bomb anyone but comes in providing jobs. I've always found it odd that nation building doesn't include local job creation from the ground up as a cornerstone element, but it also would be harder for the US due to the mix of perceptions.

 

I think this missed opportunity for the US could kick start some adaptations in how we do things in the nations we want to try and stabilize.