China Pledges Tax Exemption for Afghan Exports Starting in December: Arg
A spokesperson for China’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs stated that China intends to reduce customs tariffs with Afghanistan to zero.
Zhao Xing, China’s ambassador in Kabul, announced in a meeting with Mawlawi Abdul Kabir, the deputy prime minister for political affairs, that this measure aims to strengthen cooperation between the two countries.
Hamdullah Fitrat, Deputy Spokesperson for the Islamic Emirate, also mentioned that during the meeting the establishment of a new economic corridor through Tajikistan to Afghanistan was stressed.
Fitrat said: “Zhao Xing highlighted that a new economic corridor to Afghanistan will be opened through Tajikistan, and for this purpose, a trilateral meeting between Afghanistan, Tajikistan, and China will be held. Discussions were also held regarding the Wakhan Corridor. Zhao Xing highlighted Afghanistan’s recent progress and stated that China intends to invest in Afghanistan.”
Meanwhile, the Afghanistan Chamber of Commerce and Investment reported that currently, approximately $1 billion in trade is conducted annually with China, and zeroing customs tariffs would be beneficial for Afghanistan.
“After Iran, we have substantial trade with China, with approximately $800 million in imports and around $50 million in exports annually. Although exports are limited, China remains one of our key trade partners. Most of our imports from China consist of food products and raw materials for factories,” said Khan Jan Alokozay, a member of the board of the Chamber of Commerce and Investment.
Several businesspeople also stressed China’s importance as a major economic partner for Afghanistan in recent years, noting that Chinese investment would positively impact Afghanistan’s economic growth and development.
“China is beneficial for us and plays a positive role in the region, especially economically. We should establish a direct route with China, which is the Wakhan route,” said Mohammad Nabi Afghan, an economic analyst.
Statistics from the Ministry of Industry and Commerce indicate that Afghanistan’s trade with China from January to September 2024 was valued at $548 million, of which $12 million was exports.
