Al-Haj Mullah Mohammad Ishaq Sahibzada, Deputy Minister of Railway Affairs, said at a press conference in Balkh province that over the past year, ten thousand containers of commercial goods have been imported into Afghanistan from China by Afghan traders.
According to Bakhtar News Agency, the Deputy Minister described this as a major achievement for Afghan traders and a sign of strong relations between Afghanistan and China.
Sahibzada assured all neighboring and regional countries that Afghanistan’s doors are open and they are free to establish economic relations with the country.
He added that security has been ensured in Afghanistan, and this railway corridor has created new opportunities for easy, safe, and low-cost exports and imports for both domestic and international investors and traders.
Meanwhile, Zhou Xin, the Chinese Ambassador to Afghanistan, expressed satisfaction over the import of ten thousand containers of goods and stated that the relationship between China and Afghanistan has significantly strengthened in various sectors, especially in economy and trade.
He added that in 2024, the trade exchange between the two countries reached $1.5 billion, marking a 19% increase compared to the previous year. He also announced that China has reduced customs tariffs on Afghan export goods to zero until the end of 2024.
The Chinese Ambassador further emphasized that the joint railway corridor between China, Afghanistan, Uzbekistan, and Kyrgyzstan has reduced transit time by up to 30% compared to sea routes and lowered transportation costs by up to 40% compared to road transport.
On the other hand, Al-Haj Mullah Noorulhadi Abu Idris, Deputy Governor of Balkh, attributed Afghanistan’s economic growth and development to the establishment of nationwide security. He described the China-Afghanistan transit corridor as a key factor in reducing the cost of commercial goods and called on China to increase investment in Afghanistan to further boost the country’s economy.