KABUL—In what analysts are calling a strategic shift toward new geopolitical demographics, the Islamic State Khorasan Province (ISIS-K) released a formal communiqué Monday claiming responsibility for the bombing of a Chinese noodle shop, citing an urgent need to dismantle Beijing’s hegemonic grip on the local hand-pulled carbohydrate sector. 'For too long, we have focused solely on Western imperialism, but we cannot ignore the growing threat of the Belt and Road Initiative encroaching on our lunch rush,' read a statement from ISIS-K spokesperson Abu Bakr al-Yelp, who noted that the caliphate would no longer stand idly by while the People’s Republic attempts to pacify the region through the aggressive export of reasonably priced dumplings. 'This operation sends a clear message to President Xi: You may build bridges and railways, but if you attempt to introduce Szechuan peppercorns to the Kabul culinary scene without our express permission, there will be consequences.' At press time, Chinese officials had responded by announcing a new security partnership to fortify the restaurant’s takeout window with military-grade sweet-and-sour sauce.