An op-ed published on region-focused news outlet EurAsian Times, which cited other news reports, said that China needs Afghanistan’s lithium and copper mines to dominate the supply chains of components needed to make electric vehicle batteries and smartphones.

According to the op-ed, since the Islamic Emirate came to power, China has established positive political and economical interactions with the country.  

The Ministry of Mines and Petroleum said that lithium and copper are the most important and strategic mines of Afghanistan and in addition to Chinese investors, other countries also expressed their interest to take these contracts.

The spokesman for the Ministry of Mines and Petroleum, Homayoun Afghan, said: "In the lithium sector, many companies, including the Chinese company, came and showed their interest in this sector, but no contract has been signed with anyone yet."

Meanwhile, the officials of the country's economic and trade sector also said the economic and trade relations between China and Afghanistan are developing.

Abdul Latif Nazari, the deputy minister of Economy, said: “The Islamic Emirate has extensive economic and trade relations with countries -- including China -- based on the country's national interests. Our effort is to consider the economic growth and development of the country in our economic relations.”

Economic analysts said the country’s mines are the nation's capital. Analysts said that China has a serious need for Afghanistan's mines.

"China, as a large and powerful economic country in the world with its work capacities, plays a very big role in every country and every region it interacts with," said Qutbuddin Yaqubi, an economic analyst.

According to information provided to TOLOnews, the Ministry of Mines and Petroleum has currently signed exploration and extraction contracts with foreign companies for the exploration and extraction of three large oil mines in the Qashqari Block of the Amu river and the Herat iron mine.