Trump stressed Bagram’s strategic value near China’s nuclear sites, urging the U.S. to regain regional influence
Beijing
China on Friday said the decision on whether the United States can re-establish a presence at Afghanistan’s Bagram Air Base must be made by the Afghan people, following U.S. President Donald Trump’s remarks about reclaiming the facility.
Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lin Jian told reporters that Beijing respects Afghanistan’s sovereignty and territorial integrity. “The future of Afghanistan should be in the hands of Afghan people,” he said, urging all sides to contribute constructively to regional stability instead of fueling tensions.
Trump, speaking Thursday in London alongside British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, said Washington is in talks with Afghanistan’s Taliban-led government to return to Bagram. The base, once America’s largest military facility in the country, was abandoned in 2021 after the chaotic U.S. withdrawal ordered by former President Joe Biden.
Trump argued that Bagram holds strategic value because of its location near China. He suggested that the proximity to Chinese nuclear weapons facilities made the base especially important for U.S. security interests. “It’s an hour away from where China makes its nuclear weapons,” Trump said, stressing America’s need to regain influence in the region.
China, which established ties with the Taliban government soon after its takeover of Kabul, has made investments in Afghan resources, including oil and copper projects. Beijing has consistently cautioned against actions that could destabilize the region.
U.S. officials, meanwhile, are also holding discussions in Kabul over detained American citizens, further complicating negotiations.
The debate over Bagram highlights the ongoing struggle between Washington and Beijing for influence in South Asia, with Afghanistan caught in the middle of great power rivalries.