Reuters, November 4: India is increasing aid to Afghanistan after the earthquake, aiming to counter China's influence. On November 3, a 6.3-magnitude earthquake struck northern Afghanistan, causing at least 20 deaths and over 900 injuries. Indian Foreign Minister S. Jaishankar immediately called the acting foreign minister of Afghanistan, Mullah Mohammad Amanullah, on the day of the earthquake, promising to provide 15 tons of food and other medical supplies. At the same time, the Indian Ministry of Foreign Affairs also promoted the hashtag "First Responder" on the X platform. On November 4, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning stated that China will provide assistance according to Afghanistan's needs. Analysts pointed out that India's increased aid to Afghanistan aims to demonstrate soft power and build goodwill among Afghans, quickly filling the void left by Western countries' withdrawal from Afghanistan, especially to avoid falling behind China. After the US military withdrew from Afghanistan, Afghanistan faced international sanctions and was excluded by Western countries, making support from China and India crucial for it. China hopes to cooperate with Afghanistan in the mining sector and wants Afghanistan to join the Belt and Road Initiative. India, on the other hand, said it will cooperate with Afghanistan in areas such as hydropower, healthcare, and infrastructure development, and promote trade between India and Afghanistan through the development of the Chabahar Port project in Iran.
Original source: www.toutiao.com/article/1848061984913607/
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