By: Ambassador Zhao Xing of China to Afghanistan
In March 2026, China released the Outline of the 15th Five-Year Plan for National Economic and Social Development, which states China’s firm and sustained commitment to expanding high-standard opening up, stepping up high-quality Belt and Road cooperation, and exploring new frontiers of cooperation such as green development, artificial intelligence, digital economy, public health, and agriculture. Against the backdrop of global economic slowdown intertwined with daunting challenges, increasing uncertainties and looming instabilities, China’s planning for the future really brings valuable development opportunities for our friends in developing countries, with Afghanistan being definitely included.
Just a few weeks ago, a delegation of Afghan businessmen embarked on a trip to China, which took them to 3 cities, namely Yiwu, Hangzhou and Shanghai. They found themselves well exposed to China’s achievements and progress made in digital trade, renewable energy technologies, urban planning and so on. They were all impressed by Yiwu’s dynamic network of international trade, Hangzhou’s thriving industries of innovative technologies, and Shanghai’s outstanding performance in running a modern mega-city. Our Afghan friends on the trip told me that China has been so successful and remarkable in terms of delivering advanced infrastructure, growing digital economy and upgrading industrial sector, that China-Afghanistan practical cooperation in various fields is destined to enjoy broader prospects and an even more promising future.
At present, China and Afghanistan do face new opportunities for trade and economic cooperation. First, the two economies are highly complementary to each other. China possesses a complete industrial system, technological advantages, abundant pool of talents and a vast market, while Afghanistan is endowed with rich resources such as minerals and agricultural products. Recent years have seen Afghan products such as pine nuts and dried fruits being exported to China, which gives China-Afghanistan trade a strong and firm basis. Since 2024, China has officially provided Afghanistan with zero-tariff treatment covering 100% of tariff lines. In 2025, the trade volume between China and Afghanistan reached a historic high of USD 1.89 billion, representing a year-on-year increase of nearly 20 percent. Looking ahead, by further diversifying traded goods, expanding trade volume, and optimizing trade channels, China and Afghanistan are well positioned to register greater growth in trade.
Second, our two countries do enjoy better chance for quality cooperation in infrastructure and connectivity. Economic growth depends on convenient regional infrastructure connections and efficient logistics network. China has been accumulating rich experience in delivering quality transportation and logistics services, which not only boosts China’s own development, but also injects dynamism into regional economic cooperation. As far as Afghanistan is concerned, strengthening regional connectivity will certainly give rise to trade growth, hence helping ensure more job opportunities and better living standards for the people, not to mention improving regional cooperation.
Furthermore, as economic growth is increasingly being empowered by digital technologies, cooperation in such areas as new energy, urban governance and environmental protection is expected to reap more fruits. Afghanistan is dealing with various challenges resulting from energy scarcity and waste management. In fact, China stands out as a helping partner since we are ready to share our technological know-how and best practices in realizing green development and optimizing urban governance. Through technology exchange and practical cooperation in the aforesaid fields, our two countries will open up new chapters of economic cooperation.
Having said that, what we have to always bear in mind is that, when it comes to securing a quality development, security is something that really matters. A sustainably secure and stable environment can enable a country or a region at large to better attract investment, promote trade and unleash potential in economic growth. The Chinese side sincerely looks forward to our Afghan friends helping build and shape a secure, stable, facilitating and efficient environment for both economic development and business operations, which will surely, in turn, make foreign nationals more confident and comfortable to live, to work, to invest and to thrive in Afghanistan. China stands ready to work together with our Afghan friends in well implementing the Global Development Initiative (GDI) proposed by H.E. President Xi Jinping, and promoting high-quality Belt and Road cooperation, so as to further deepen China-Afghanistan practical cooperation, share opportunities for development and contribute more to regional prosperity and stability, and the well-being of our two peoples.
