By Fidel Rahmati in The Khaama Press Online, October 20, 2023
The acting minister of Industry and Commerce of the Taliban said that Afghanistan’s caretaker administration intends to join China’s “Belt and Road” initiative officially.
On Thursday, Nooruddin Azizi, the head of this ministry, said in an interview with Reuters that the Taliban administration wishes to formally become a part of the ambitious infrastructure project “Belt and Road” initiated by Xi Jinping, the President of China.
Mr. Azizi mentioned that the Taliban administration plans to send a technical team to Beijing to discuss this objective. He stated, “We have requested China to allow us to be a part of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor and the Belt and Road Initiative, and today we are discussing technical matters.”
He also highlighted that China invests worldwide and should invest in Afghanistan because, in his opinion, Afghanistan is more prepared for investment than ever before.
Azizi stated, “We have everything they need, such as lithium, copper, and iron. Afghanistan is now more ready for investment than ever.”
In a recent development, China hosted a Belt and Road Summit, extending invitations to representatives from the Taliban administration. Leading the delegation on behalf of the current administration was the head of the Ministry of Industry and Commerce for the Taliban.
This summit gathered representatives from 140 countries worldwide, signifying the global interest and engagement surrounding the Belt and Road Initiative.
https://www.khaama.com/afghanistan-aims-to-join-chinas-belt-and-road-initiative-formally-azizi/
