Trade ties between Afghanistan and China continue to grow

People attend the launching ceremony of the first freight train from Yiwu to Afghanistan in Yiwu, east China’s Zhejiang Province, Aug. 28, 2016. (Xinhua/Gong Xianming)

The Chinese news agency, Xinhua, reported on Thursday, August 25th, that China launched it’s first freight train service from it’s Nantong City to Hairatan in Afghanistan. The train carrying 84 containers is expected to take 15 days and will pass first through Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan. According to Chinese officials, 2 trains will be scheduled each month.

Furthermore, Xinhua reported today (August 28) that a train from the eastern Chinese city of Yiwu, which is the home of the world’s leading small commodities market had it’s first ever freight train leave for Afghanistan carrying 100 containers of goods worth more than $4 million. The train is expected to arrive in Mazar-e Sharif. The service is expected to run weekly by the end of this year, according to the Xinhua report.

All this is an attempt to further improve trade ties between the two countries, according to both Afghan and Chinese officials. Since 2010, China has increased its economic aid and investment in Afghanistan and there a steady growing stream of business travelers between the two countries.

August 28, 2016 · admin · No Comments
Tags: China-Afghanistan · Posted in: Afghanistan's Economy