Chinese, Afghan foreign ministers discuss opening of strategic Wakhan Corridor

By Islamuddin Sajid

ISLAMABAD (AA) - China and Afghanistan’s foreign ministers discussed the opening of a strategic corridor Thursday to enhance trade ties between Beijing and Kabul.

Acting Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi met with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi in Tibet on the sidelines of the 3rd Trans-Himalaya Forum for International Cooperation, said an Afghan official.

The two countries agreed to improve trade ties through the Wakhan Corridor, a narrow strip of land located in the extreme northeast of Afghanistan’s Badakhshan province that is a strategic route connecting Afghanistan with Xinjiang, China and Pakistan and Tajikistan.

The two diplomats also discussed a new trade corridor between Kabul and Beijing.

Earlier, Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid shared a post on X by Aman Afghan, an Afghan Foreign Ministry official, in which he said that Muttaqi and Wang discussed bilateral ties and the opening of the Wakhan Corridor between Beijing and Kabul.

In the meeting, the two sides discussed bilateral relations between Afghanistan and China and raising diplomatic relations, said Ahmad.

Wakhan is a narrow strip of territory with a population of around 10,000. If China and Afghanistan implement the plan, it could also pave the way for Pakistan to connect with the Central Asian republics of Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan and Turkmenistan.

Muttaqi thanked Wang for appointing a regular ambassador to Kabul and said it reflects the strong relations between the two countries.

Last month, China became the first country to post a new ambassador who presented his credentials to acting Prime Minister Mohammad Hassan Akhund.

“China’s foreign minister said that any other country does not influence its diplomatic relations with Afghanistan and China will continue its traditional friendship with Afghanistan,” said Ahmad, quoting the Chinese foreign minister.

Wang also expressed his readiness to cooperate with the Afghan state to improve its governance and capacity.