China, Afghanistan relaunch direct freight train

Service was relaunched in Nantong city of China’s southeastern Jiangsu province

By Anadolu staff

ANKARA (AA) – China and Afghanistan on Thursday relaunched direct freight train between the two countries.

Beijing’s special envoy for Afghanistan, Yueh Hsiaoyung, along with Afghanistan's Ambassador Mawlawi Asadullah Bilal Karimi relaunched the service in Nantong city of southeastern Jiangsu province, one of the Belt-Road Initiative (BRI) hub cities, Yueh said in a series of posts on X.

“Happily delivered a congratulation message this morning on behalf of MoFA (Ministry of Foreign Affairs) Beijing to people in North of Shanghai BRI Hub City, Nantong, for the relaunching of the Direct China-Afghanistan Freight Train Service,” he added.

The train comprises 55 big wagons.

The development came days after China granted 100% duty-free access on imports from Afghanistan.

China does not recognize the Taliban-led interim Afghanistan administration in Kabul which returned to power in August 2021.

However, President Xi Jinping early this year accepted credentials from Afghan Ambassador Karimi at an official function in Beijing.

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