President Donald Trump recently made a surprising claim that the United States is working to reclaim control of Afghanistan's Bagram Air Base from the Taliban, sparking fears of regional tension.
The base, located about 40 kilometers north of Kabul, was the largest US military installation in Afghanistan before the chaotic US withdrawal in 2021.
Trump claimed the base has strategic importance due to its proximity to China's nuclear weapons production sites in Xianjiang, underscoring the move as part of a broader strategic effort to counter China’s growing influence in Central Asia.
"We’re trying to get it back,” Trump announced during a joint presser with UK PM Keir Starmer. "We gave it to [the Taliban] for nothing," he complained, adding that Bagram is "exactly one hour away from where China makes its nuclear missiles”.
What China said
China has responded strongly to Trump's announcement, with its foreign ministry warning against actions that would escalate regional tensions.
Beijing has stressed that Afghanistan's future and security should be determined by the Afghan people without external military interference. The Chinese government sees attempts to regain Bagram as a potential destabilising factor in an already fragile region and cautions against "hyping up regional tension" for geopolitical gain.
“China respects Afghanistan’s territorial integrity and sovereignty,” Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson Lin Jian told the media. “The future of Afghanistan should be in the hands of Afghan people,” Lin said.
“Our stress is that hyping up regional tensions does not win support. We hope relevant sides could play a constructive role for regional stability,” he said.
What Afghanistan said
Afghanistan has rejected Trump's call. A foreign ministry official declared on social media on Friday that Kabul is ready to engage, but maintained that the US will not be allowed to re-establish a military presence in the central Asian country.
“Afghanistan and the US need to engage with one another … without the US maintaining any military presence in any part of Afghanistan,” Zakir Jalal, a foreign ministry official, posted on social media. Kabul is ready to pursue political and economic ties with Washington based on “mutual respect and shared interests,” he added.
Importance of Bagram airbase to China
Bagram Air Base holds significant strategic value for China primarily because of its close proximity — roughly an hour's flight — to China's sensitive Xinjiang region, which hosts key nuclear weapons programs.
In Xinjiang, China maintains extensive nuclear missile silo fields, such as near the cities of Hami and Yumen, along with the Lop Nur nuclear test site. China is actively expanding its nuclear arsenal and nuclear testing infrastructure in this area as part of its military modernization efforts.
The Federation of American Scientists (FAS) published a study in 2021 on new construction work on missile silos in China. With the help of satellite images, FAS discovered a large area near Hami in the northwestern region of Xinjiang where silos for nuclear missiles were under construction.
Control of Bagram would afford either the US or any foreign power a critical vantage point to monitor China's nuclear activities, interfere with key Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) logistics, and project influence in Central Asia.
The base also offers strategic reach into surrounding volatile regions, including Pakistan, Iran, and Central Asian states, making it a linchpin in regional geopolitical dynamics.
Potential for US-China standoff
Experts have warned that any US attempt to reclaim Bagram could risk a geopolitical standoff with China, as the base sits near vital Chinese nuclear and military installations.
China has clearly signaled its opposition to foreign military presence near its borders, and an American return to Bagram would likely be seen as a direct challenge to its security interests.
Given the Taliban's refusal to allow renewed US military presence and China's heightened sensitivity over Xinjiang security, this move could escalate tensions not only regionally but also between the US and China, with implications for broader US-China relations .
The base, located about 40 kilometers north of Kabul, was the largest US military installation in Afghanistan before the chaotic US withdrawal in 2021.
Trump claimed the base has strategic importance due to its proximity to China's nuclear weapons production sites in Xianjiang, underscoring the move as part of a broader strategic effort to counter China’s growing influence in Central Asia.
"We’re trying to get it back,” Trump announced during a joint presser with UK PM Keir Starmer. "We gave it to [the Taliban] for nothing," he complained, adding that Bagram is "exactly one hour away from where China makes its nuclear missiles”.
What China said
China has responded strongly to Trump's announcement, with its foreign ministry warning against actions that would escalate regional tensions.
Beijing has stressed that Afghanistan's future and security should be determined by the Afghan people without external military interference. The Chinese government sees attempts to regain Bagram as a potential destabilising factor in an already fragile region and cautions against "hyping up regional tension" for geopolitical gain.
“China respects Afghanistan’s territorial integrity and sovereignty,” Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson Lin Jian told the media. “The future of Afghanistan should be in the hands of Afghan people,” Lin said.
“Our stress is that hyping up regional tensions does not win support. We hope relevant sides could play a constructive role for regional stability,” he said.
What Afghanistan said
Afghanistan has rejected Trump's call. A foreign ministry official declared on social media on Friday that Kabul is ready to engage, but maintained that the US will not be allowed to re-establish a military presence in the central Asian country.
“Afghanistan and the US need to engage with one another … without the US maintaining any military presence in any part of Afghanistan,” Zakir Jalal, a foreign ministry official, posted on social media. Kabul is ready to pursue political and economic ties with Washington based on “mutual respect and shared interests,” he added.
Importance of Bagram airbase to China
Bagram Air Base holds significant strategic value for China primarily because of its close proximity — roughly an hour's flight — to China's sensitive Xinjiang region, which hosts key nuclear weapons programs.
In Xinjiang, China maintains extensive nuclear missile silo fields, such as near the cities of Hami and Yumen, along with the Lop Nur nuclear test site. China is actively expanding its nuclear arsenal and nuclear testing infrastructure in this area as part of its military modernization efforts.
The Federation of American Scientists (FAS) published a study in 2021 on new construction work on missile silos in China. With the help of satellite images, FAS discovered a large area near Hami in the northwestern region of Xinjiang where silos for nuclear missiles were under construction.
Control of Bagram would afford either the US or any foreign power a critical vantage point to monitor China's nuclear activities, interfere with key Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) logistics, and project influence in Central Asia.
The base also offers strategic reach into surrounding volatile regions, including Pakistan, Iran, and Central Asian states, making it a linchpin in regional geopolitical dynamics.
Potential for US-China standoff
Experts have warned that any US attempt to reclaim Bagram could risk a geopolitical standoff with China, as the base sits near vital Chinese nuclear and military installations.
China has clearly signaled its opposition to foreign military presence near its borders, and an American return to Bagram would likely be seen as a direct challenge to its security interests.
Given the Taliban's refusal to allow renewed US military presence and China's heightened sensitivity over Xinjiang security, this move could escalate tensions not only regionally but also between the US and China, with implications for broader US-China relations .
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