The United States is seeking to put an end to its sprawling invasion of Afghanistan, leaving behind calamitous regional instability at the crossroads of Asia. China’s rising stature in Asia and its expanding interests have them poised to take the reins of global conflict in the country.

In Afghanistan, the withdrawal of American troops is far easier said than done. Overlapping factors complicate the matter so se-verely that it may not be possible for the U.S. to achieve its goals in a few months. A quagmire will be left behind in any case, and who will be responsible for the human toll?

Pulling out of Afghanistan is a fraught prospect. The country is awash in terrorists, and groups will rise quickly again. A hurried withdrawal may also trigger a humanitarian crisis, resulting in greater damage to the international status and image of the United States.

US delegates met with the Taliban this month in what resulted in the most comprehensive discussions between the two sides to date. Despite this progress, no breakthroughs were made, and negotiators must persist. Patience is a necessary attribute when on a course towards peace.

Although some have derided Trump’s Afghan strategy as being “old wine in a new bottle,” his policy actually contains quite a few new elements that are conducive to peace and stability in Afghanistan and the region.

President Donald Trump’s speech on August 21 lays out his new strategy for winning in Afghanistan.

This year could see a major shakeup in the China-U.S. interaction in Afghanistan and Central Asia. Until now, the relationships in these regions between China and the United States, and between China and Russia, has been better than the Russian-American rivalry in Central Asia. But if the new Trump administration succeeds in improving Russian-U.S. relations, or decides to cut back on the U.S. military commitment in Afghanistan, China’s bargaining leverage vis-à-vis Russia in Central Asia will decline.

As China assists in Afghanistan’s reconstruction, some U.S. experts describe China as a “free-rider” in global conflict, despite the interests China shares with the U.S. in promoting peace and stability in the “Eurasian crossroads.” Sino-Afghan cooperation is not a zero-sum game where China gains and the U.S. loses. Instead, cooperation benefits both.

The NATO Summit in Chicago was held between May 20-21 with the background of noisy demonstrations to protest against the Afghan war that has lasted for more than 10 years. Actually, how to deal with the issue was on the top agenda at the Summit for both President Obama and other NATO leaders. There are plenty of reasons that the U.S. wants to discuss the Afghan issue with the members of NATO and other partners in the first place.