Kabul: Gunmen killed a Chinese coal mine worker in an attack in Afghanistan, an Afghan official reported on Wednesday. The attack took place in northern Takhar province, which borders Tajikistan, where 'unknown' armed men targeted the worker while he was traveling on Tuesday, confirmed Abdul Mateen Qani, the Taliban's Interior Ministry spokesman.

According to Anadolu Agency, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning neither confirmed nor denied the report regarding the worker's death. She stated, "I'm not clear about what you mentioned, but I believe our embassy in Afghanistan will do its best to protect the legitimate rights and interests of Chinese citizens and should be following up on the situation," addressing reporters in Beijing.

The Chinese national involved was a business owner with a mining operations contract in Afghanistan. This tragic incident occurred just a day after the celebration of 70 years of diplomatic relations between China and Afghanistan.

Despite ongoing security concerns, Beijing has positioned itself as a potential investment partner in Afghanistan. The country is attempting to leverage its vast, untapped natural resources to bolster its struggling economy and attract foreign investment. This attack is reminiscent of a previous incident in 2022 when at least five Chinese nationals were injured in a bold assault on a Kabul hotel, for which ISIS (Daesh) claimed responsibility.