Afghan Taliban attend 3rd Belt and Road Forum in China

By Anadolu staff

ANKARA (AA) - A delegation from Afghanistan's interim Taliban administration is taking part in the third Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation in China.

The delegation, led by acting Industry and Trade Minister Haji Nuruddin Azizi, arrived in Beijing to take part in the forum, Afghanistan's Embassy in Beijing said in a post on X on Tuesday.

The two-day forum – the first high-level forum of the initiative since 2019 – will be held in Beijing on Wednesday and Thursday.

Representatives from 130 nations and 30 international organizations are expected to attend the forum which will include three high-level forums on connectivity, green development, and digital economy, as well as six seminars.

A conference of entrepreneurs is also scheduled to be held on the sidelines.

The Belt and Road Initiative, billed as recreating the ancient Silk Road to boost global trade infrastructure, was proposed by Xi in 2013 to connect China with the markets of Central Asia, the Middle East, Europe, and Africa.

With more than 200 cooperation agreements spread across 150 countries and 30 international organizations, the cumulative value of imports and exports between China and the partner countries has reached $19.1 trillion, with an average annual growth rate of 6.4% from 2013 until 2022.