(MENAFN- Khaama Press) A report from Afghanistan's Badakhshan province confirms that Afghanistan is now officially linked to China via the Badakhshan province.
Moizuddin Ahmadi, the head of Information and Culture in Badakhshan, reported on Monday, January 15th, that the construction of the Pamir Highway has been completed up to the Chinese border. Now, the project's plan and budget for the road's development will begin.”
Last week, Michael McCaul, Chairman of the US House Foreign Affairs Committee, expressed worry about China's influence in Afghanistan. He suggested that China might gain control of Bagram airport shortly.
US officials have frequently expressed concerns about China's investments in Afghanistan, especially in valuable resources like lithium. They see this as conflicting with their national interests.
earlier in September 2023, Taliban officials reported that the construction of a 50-kilometre stretch of the Silk Road, which extends from Wakhan district to the Chinese border and has a width of 5 meters, has been inaugurated by Afghanistan's Ministry of Rural Rehabilitation and Development.
The head of Rural Rehabilitation and Development in Badakhshan said in September 2023 that the reconstruction work on nearly 50 kilometres of the Silk Road, connecting Badakhshan to China, officially commenced with the presence of Malamohammad Yunus Akhonzada, the acting head of the Ministry of Rural Rehabilitation and Development of the Taliban, and some local officials.
The total cost of this project amounts to over 369,579,000 Afghanis, which is funded by the Ministry of Rural Rehabilitation and Development's road construction budget and is supervised by development councils.
According to local officials in the Taliban, the construction of the Silk Port, with the shortest distance and the lowest cost, will facilitate the import and export of commercial goods to Afghanistan. It will also enable local traders with limited capital to engage in trade, establish hotels, and guesthouses along the route, and provide the groundwork to boost 50% of Badakhshan and Afghanistan's economy.
Afghanistan shares a border with China in the Wakhan Corridor, which spans 90 kilometres.
Meanwhile, in September 2023, Mohammad Sadiq, the Taliban government's ambassador to China, mentioned having detailed discussions with Chinese authorities regarding the commencement of traffic through the Wakhan Corridor.
The Wakhan Corridor is a narrow strip of land in northeastern Afghanistan, stretching towards China, and acting as a buffer between Tajikistan and Pakistan. It spans approximately 350 kilometres (220 miles) in length and varies in width from 13 to 65 kilometres (8.1 to 40.4 miles). The corridor is home to around 12,000 inhabitants residing in roughly 110 villages.
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