否极泰来 pi3 ji2 tai4 lai2
evil + extreme + peace + comes = from evil extremists peace comes
This proverb in no political context simply means that from great tribulation great joy arises. In the current political context it’s obviously pointing out that the extremists now in power in Afghanistan may know or bring peace. That’s wishful thinking, this time from China instead of the USA. Afghanistan, unfortunately, will know only constant domestic conflicts in the near future (5-10 years, maybe even 20). More people will die there. Sometimes in life all you can do is stand back and not get killed.
The USA had entirely unrealistic goals and is now disillusioned in the sense of no longer deluded under its own unrealistic notions. Trying to transform a tribal subsistence economy, patriarchal and sincerely religious, into a liberal democracy was foolish, unattainable, and so was failing to notice that Afghanistan is “the graveyard of empires”. I doubt China will be so stupid as to try to “pacify” i.e. invade and mine, parts of Afghanistan, if they do we should be happy to see them jump into the brer patch.
China’s idea of a grand peace after the Afghan war is likelier something which in theory is acceptable to liberal internationalists but in practice will be rejected by various military establishments. I do not anticipate any grand bargains just more illusions, at most, which will be swiftly dispelled by military and economic realities.