Officials of the Ministry of Public Works say that in the past year, ten thousand containers of commercial goods have been imported through Hairatan Port in Balkh Province.
A ceremony is being held today in Hairatan Port in Balkh to mark the arrival of the 10,000th container through the China-Afghan Express Economic Corridor.
The ceremony was attended by the Deputy Minister of Railways of the Ministry of Public Works, the Chinese Ambassador to Afghanistan, the head of Sudya Trans Uzbekistan Company, local officials of Balkh and a number of traders.
Mohammad Ishaq Sahibzada, Deputy Minister of Railways of the Ministry of Public Works, said that the Islamic Emirate is trying to make Afghanistan self-sufficient and economically independent by providing facilities to traders.
He added that last year, ten thousand twenty-foot containers have reached Hairatan Port via the China-Kyrgyzstan-Uzbekistan-Afghanistan Economic Corridor, which was safer, cheaper and faster than other routes.
Sahibzada also said that the volume of imports from China has increased, but the country cannot be asked to enter areas where Afghan traders have easy access to China.
Sahibzada also said in his speech that Afghanistan is the center and transit route of the region and the world, which is why the government is committed to maintaining and recognizing good relations.
Meanwhile, Zhao Xing, the Chinese ambassador to Afghanistan, said that his country has a long historical relationship with Afghanistan and has always supported Afghanistan, and the political trust between the two countries has also become stronger after the new government took office in the country.
According to him, the bilateral trade value between Afghanistan and China in 2024 was about $1.5 billion, which has increased by 10 percent compared to 2023.
He added that his country has exempted customs tariffs on the economy at the end of 2024 in order to advance the Afghan economy, but on the contrary, other US unilateral measures have been lifted against China, Afghanistan and trading partners.
Further, Sarzbek, head of Trans-Uzbekistan Company, said that since 2011, the company has transported 37 million tons of its profits through the Hairatan Port railway and has always been committed to transporting commercial goods safely and cheaply.
Meanwhile, Asadullah Asadi, head of the Balkh Chamber of Commerce and Investment, said: “The arrival of ten thousand containers from China is not just a number, but a sign of good intentions and lasting political stability of both countries.”
On the other hand, Noorul hadi Abu Idris, deputy governor of Balkh, provided security and support to traders and called on Afghan traders living abroad to invest in the country.
It is worth noting that the China-Kyrgyzstan-Uzbekistan Joint Corridor was inaugurated in July 2023.