Andrew Small

Humor is something that we all share -- every culture, every people, if you can tell a joke and laugh at someone else's joke, it shows there's a certain level of comfort with one another.

The combination of the kind of language used by the G7 and( China's formal inclusion) in NATO strategic documents is indeed a blow for( China), and something that they would have hoped and wished to be able to prevent, it's an exceptionally strong period in terms of transatlantic cooperation and that translates for China in ways that they're very concerned about.

Although Beijing is pragmatic about the power realities in Afghanistan, it has always been uncomfortable with the Taliban's ideological agenda, the Chinese government fears the inspirational effect of their success in Afghanistan for militancy across the region, including the Pakistani Taliban.

China does not tend to perceive Afghanistan through the prism of opportunities ; it is almost entirely about managing threats.