Afghanistan completes 121-km road connecting Wakhan Corridor to China

Afghanistan has completed a 121-kilometer road project through the Wakhan Corridor in Badakhshan province, establishing a direct land connection to China’s Xinjiang region. The project, which took two years to complete, was funded domestically at an estimated cost of 5.5 million dollars (approximately 365 million Afghanis). The infrastructure includes four bridges, 66 culverts, and retaining walls.

The road aims to integrate Afghanistan into regional trade networks, potentially serving as a transit point between China, Iran, and Central Asian nations like Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan. The Taliban government intends to use the route to export natural resources, such as gold, directly to Chinese markets to increase economic independence.

While the road provides a strategic alternative to existing routes like the Karakoram Highway, reports indicate that China has not yet officially opened the Wakhjir crossing for commercial trade due to security concerns in the Xinjiang region. The development also introduces a potential secondary transit option to the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC).